Following hundreds of Covid-19 tests that skyrocketed the Virgin Islands’ tally of confirmed cases over the past three weeks, government announced on Tuesday that 111 people had all tested negative …
September 11, 2020
September 7, 2020
EDITORIAL: Last month’s press conference should be repeated weekly
Kudos to government for hosting a comprehensive press conference last month in a format that we hope will become the new normal going forward. The session was ideal for several …
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September 4, 2020
Opposition takes aim at Covid response
The day after the government hosted a more-than-three-hour-long Covid-19 press conference last week, opposition members voiced their concerns about leaders’ recent decisions, calling on them to present a detailed plan …
September 4, 2020
‘Manage It’ phase in effect as Covid spikes
Twenty-one more cases of Covid-19 have been detected throughout the territory in the past seven days, briefly shutting down two police stations after officers tested positive and prompting leaders to …
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September 3, 2020
Border relaxation coincides with Covid spike
While the Virgin Islands moves to the orange “Manage It” phase of its pandemic plan as a result of increased Covid-19 transmission in the community, Tuesday also marked the first …
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September 2, 2020
EDITORIAL: Even the Covid-19 pandemic has silver linings
The territory now faces one of the darkest times yet in its fight against Covid-19, but the crisis will not last forever. Eventually, a vaccine or other solution will be …
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September 1, 2020
Government launches mental health campaign
In an attempt to strengthen mental health and psychosocial support in the Virgin Islands amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a new educational campaign launched with a virtual meeting broadcast last Thursday …
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September 1, 2020
HOA approves reshuffle of 2020 budget
Because of government revenue losses during the Covid-19 pandemic, the House of Assembly recently decided to adjust the 2020 budget, approving $77 million in extra spending and shuffling tens of …
August 27, 2020
Active Covid cases spike to record high
Ten days ago, the Virgin Islands was being lauded as an example in the fight against Covid-19. There were no known active cases, the curfew had just been lifted, and …
August 25, 2020
EDITORIAL: Plan for tourism opening needed now
Following the government’s recent announcement that expatriates will be allowed to enter the territory starting in September, one big question remains about plans for the border reopening: When will tourists …
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August 19, 2020
EDITORIAL: Government right to reopen borders to expats
The government is right to use caution when reopening the borders during the pandemic, but we are glad that leaders have finally announced a plan to allow the return of …
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August 8, 2020
Ninth case confirmed, expats still barred
After a ninth Covid-19 case was announced in the territory on Aug. 1, residents angrily debated government’s subsequent announcement that it would continue blocking expatriates stranded abroad from returning to …
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July 31, 2020
Virtual graduation ceremonies continue
Graduates from the Virgin Islands School of Technical Studies showed strength and resilience in completing their studies amidst the ongoing recovery from the 2017 hurricanes, and host Ronn Grant of …
July 27, 2020
EDITORIAL: Graduates have overcome much, but a hard road is ahead
As the graduation season gets under way, we wish a hearty congratulations to the Class of 2020, which has overcome formidable challenges that we fear are not over yet. Most …
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July 24, 2020
Graduating in a pandemic
“Congratulations, Zawie,” one commenter wrote on Cedar International School’s live broadcast of the senior graduation ceremony on June 25. “U made yr family proud. U jst end one journey but …
July 24, 2020
Scaled-back August Festival is on
Though the celebrations will look notably different from typical years, the August Emancipation Festival will still happen in the coming weeks despite the complications of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to …
July 24, 2020
Jost Van Dyke is under full lockdown
Three days after learning that a former Jost Van Dyke resident tested positive for Covid-19 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, government announced on Tuesday morning that JVD would be …
July 24, 2020
22 Cuban medical workers to arrive today
Twenty-two medical personnel from Cuba are due to arrive in the territory today and will be quarantined for two weeks before they get to work assisting with the Covid-19 response, …
July 24, 2020
Jost Van Dyke is under full lockdown
Three days after learning that a former Jost Van Dyke resident tested positive for Covid-19 in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, government announced on Tuesday morning that JVD would be …
July 17, 2020
Jobless expats asked to leave
Government is instructing expatriates who are unemployed due to the Covid-19 pandemic to return to their home countries as soon as possible unless they have the requisite permission to seek …
July 9, 2020
Paid testing extended to travellers
The BVI Health Services Authority is expanding Covid-19 testing to include people needing a test for travel or elective procedures, but at a cost that was not disclosed. Residents who …
July 7, 2020
After wife’s Covid death, widower left with questions
When Deputy Premier Carvin Malone announced on April 16 that a patient at Dr. Orlando Smith Hospital had tested positive locally for Covid-19, he implied that she had waited too …
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July 2, 2020
Two tested early for Covid, results negative
The Virgin Islands remains free of known active cases of Covid-19 in spite of concerns aired in recent days about possible infection among returnees, but the pandemic is not slowing …
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June 24, 2020
Hospitality industry demands border info
With no confirmed date for the full reopening of the borders and no stated protocols in place for tourist arrivals in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis, the approximately 140 …
June 24, 2020
Tourism sector jobs hard hit by pandemic
The picture of how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the Virgin Islands workforce became a bit clearer last week. As more businesses responded to government’s request for information, 337 companies …
