"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
For the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Irma, we asked a handful of residents to grade the territory’s recovery on a scale of one to ten. Their scores averaged nearly seven, …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: VI strong, but government recovery far behind”
The Recovery and Development Agency oversaw seven projects last year and is looking to complete more in 2022, including works at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport, RDA acting CEO …
Four years after Hurricane Irma gutted the Road Town fire station, renovation of the ground floor is finished, complementing second-storey repairs carried out in 2019 and bringing the project one …
Continue reading “Ground floor completed at Road Town fire station”
The Elmore Stoutt High School. The Isabella Morris Primary School. The Eslyn Henley Richiez Learning Centre. The Road Town library. The West End ferry terminal. The National Emergency Operations Centre. …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Four years after Irma, government recovery far behind”
Close collaboration between residents and planners will be key to making sure the design of the new West End ferry terminal fits the community’s needs, residents said during an Aug. …
Continue reading “WE ferry terminal tender expected in 6 months”
When Covid-19 hit early last year, many Virgin Islands residents were still living in homes that had not been fully repaired from the damage they sustained during hurricanes Irma and …
Continue reading “Housing issues persist four years post-Irma”
Demolition and waterproofing work has progressed at the Ralph T. O’Neal Administration Complex this year despite complications caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Transportation, Works and Utilities Minister Kye …
Most of the territory’s community centres are not yet fully repaired nearly four years after Hurricane Irma, though two are now ready to serve as emergency shelters following completion of …
Continue reading “7 of 9 community centres not ready for storms”
Work on the Road Town Fire Headquarters under a $332,000 contract issued on March 2 is on target to be completed by July, according to Transportation, Works and Utilities Minister …
Continue reading “Fire station repairs on schedule, Rymer says”
Renovations to the ground floor of the Virgin Islands Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters in Road Town are finally commencing after more than three years of delays. During a ceremony …
Continue reading “Contract signed for repairs to fire station”
New funding has been provided to facilitate repairs to the Road Town Police Station and the Magistrates’ Court from damage caused by the 2017 hurricanes, and three “deeds of contribution” …
Continue reading “RDA gets funding for police, court facilities”
Three years after Hurricane Irma, successive governments’ failure to secure the needed level of recovery funding — which now could be doing much more to help the stalled economy through …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Covid is highlighting Irma recovery failures”
A recent uptick in cases of Covid-19 in the Virgin Islands meant that community members couldn’t host any sort of large gathering on Sunday to reflect on the past three …
As the Covid-19 crisis has decimated the economy in recent months, leaders have sought to counter the dismal outlook while rolling out more than $10 million worth of contracts under …
Continue reading “Underfunded hurricane recovery still dragging”
A total of 894,991 tourists visited the Virgin Islands during 2019, reaching nearly 80 percent of pre-Irma levels and more than doubling 2018 numbers, Premier Andrew Fahie announced last Thursday …
After submitting a revised Recovery to Development Plan to the United Kingdom in September, the Virgin Islands government is now waiting to learn whether the UK will approve the territory’s …
Continue reading “Premier: Revised Recovery to Development Plan in UK hands”
Connie Haines Barry lives in an island-inspired haven in Spooner, Wisconsin, a town in the United States with a population of about 2,600 people. A pineapple-themed welcome sign hangs above …
Continue reading “Where are they now? Irma survivors abroad share their journeys”
After losing former opposition member Alvera Maduro-Caines to the Virgin Islands Party and seeing the resignation of Recovery and Development Agency CEO Paul Bayly this month, opposition members acknowledged last …
Continue reading “Opposition promises to hold government accountable”
The slow pace of the government’s hurricane recovery is nothing short of a crisis, and the resignation of Recovery and Development Agency CEO Paul Bayly is another major blow to …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: RDA CEO’s resignation hurts, but it’s no surprise”
Following low tourism numbers in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017, the Virgin Islands saw some of the highest growth in the Caribbean during a strong regional …
Continue reading “Post-Irma growth puts VI near top in tourism rankings”
A new Magistrates’ Court is currently being designed and planned as part of the first phase of the “Halls of Justice” project, according to Government Information Services. Premier Andrew Fahie …
Continue reading “Premier: New court facilities coming soon”
During a Friday meeting that lasted about two hours at the Church of God of Prophecy in East End, Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture Minister Dr. Natalio Wheatley …
The government is in discussions with United Kingdom officials about the new Recovery to Development Plan, which was submitted to the UK on Sept. 27 as part of ongoing efforts …
Continue reading “UK and VI in ‘technical’ talks on new recovery plan”
When we heard that the new government was drafting a revised recovery plan as part of its efforts to secure the United Kingdom loan guarantee, we had high hopes. But …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: The revised recovery plan is even worse than the last”