"The light that comes from wisdom never goes out"
Entrepreneurs and other residents are suffering because the Virgin Islands’ civil service is slow, ineffective and unaccountable, Financial Services and Economic Development Junior Minister Lorna Smith told the House of …
Continue reading “Smith: Civil service letting down businesses, public”
Long-promised campaign finance rules, new voting methods and transparency measures are among the wide-ranging election reforms that could be on the way under a bill recently introduced in the House …
Britain could help the Virgin Islands government finally deliver on its controversial plan to move ahead with a major airport expansion on Beef Island, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley told the …
Continue reading “Premier ‘hopeful’ UK will help expand airport”
The Virgin Islands must boost transparency and “clean up” its reputation for attracting “bad money” if it wants to grow its financial services sector, British Anti-Corruption Champion Baroness Margaret Hodge …
After six days of debating constitutional reform in public, the House of Assembly entered a closed-door committee session on Friday to continue the talks in private — despite calls for …
Continue reading “Constitution debate now continuing in private”
Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley stood before a hushed House of Assembly last Thursday morning and launched legislators’ first official debate on constitutional reform in nearly two decades. “The Virgin Islands …
Continue reading “HOA’s constitutional debate still going after five days”
United Kingdom Anti-Corruption Champion Baroness Margaret Hodge has been urged not to shun the media during a high-profile visit to the Virgin Islands in the coming days. Lady Hodge is …
A spike in immigration fees will see the price of some services increase as much as 9,900 percent, according to a government announcement issued last Thursday. Among the steepest increases …
After two false starts and eight years of delays, the government has launched a required review of the 2012 Virgin Islands Climate Change Adaptation Policy. The results could prove a …
Continue reading “Climate-policy review restarts eight years late”
Accusing prosecutors of “unreasonable” delays and a “lamentable failure” to produce required disclosure, a judge recently halted a three-year-old case against a Virgin Islands police officer accused of indecently assaulting …
Continue reading “Judge halts case against cop, blaming the crown”
A 17-year-old Virgin Gorda boy and a 25-year-old Mount Healthy man were arrested last month in connection with separate gun seizures, police said on Aug. 1. The teenager, of North …
Cybersecurity, regulatory advances and artificial intelligence were among the key topics on the agenda during a major regional meeting attended by Virgin Islands telecommunications regulators. Held July 13-16 in Nassau, …
The House of Assembly approved a schedule of additional provisions — the first one for this year — on Tuesday. Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley said the SAP proposes an overall …
A long-delayed no-confidence motion against Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley’s administration was finally launched by the opposition Tuesday night as government members were urged to abandon their leader and vote with …
It is no secret that the Virgin Islands’ public healthcare system is struggling, with two community clinics shuttered and other facilities across the territory understaffed, under-equipped and under-resourced. This month, …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Strategic plan a big step toward better healthcare”
Following a spate of gun violence in the territory late last week, Premier Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley called on Britain to help address organised crime in the Virgin Islands. “I believe …
Reckless drivers may soon have reason to change their ways. The House of Assembly is considering modernising outdated traffic legislation by upping fines as much as 900 percent, re-aligning with …
Two people were found guilty and two others were set free following a three-week High Court trial linked to a record seizure of 20 guns, nearly 500 kilograms of cocaine, …
Powerline inspections, vegetation trimming and automation are among the works under way to address the widespread power outages that have plagued the territory in recent months, according to Communications and …
In a scathing attack on the Virgin Islands, two British politicians have called for London to take charge of implementing the territory’s new company ownership register to speed progress and …
Continue reading “MPs blast VI company register plans, but Smith fires back”
After a protracted tender process drew only two bids that were dramatically over budget, the Recovery and Development Agency is going back to the drawing board with the planned West …
Government has cancelled the construction contract for the long-delayed National Emergency Operations Centre in McNamara after paying out more than half its value, and officials hope to hire a new …
After regulators’ surprise announcement on May 29 that they had begun winding down the Bank of Asia, we urged leaders to be fully transparent about the crisis by keeping the …
The Virgin Islands Deposit Insurance Corporation has stayed silent for nearly three weeks after a news report suggested that its CEO had resigned, but recent activity on social media suggests …
Continue reading “VIDI Corporation still not saying who’s in charge”
Details of the government’s long-awaited reform of its beneficial ownership register — the list of who owns Virgin Islands-registered companies — have finally been revealed. The move comes after prominent …
Continue reading “Access rules unveiled for company register”