A new electronic work permit system has arrived just as the Covid-19 pandemic has led to more and more business being conducted remotely. Premier Andrew Fahie, during a virtual rollout …
July 21, 2021
May 20, 2021
Commission of Inquiry questions ministers, others
The United Kingdom’s Commission of Inquiry has been pressing forward with seeking evidence of corruption and misconduct in the territory, holding a series of hearings focused largely on document production. …
Continue reading “Commission of Inquiry questions ministers, others”
May 8, 2021
Minister warns about ‘unfair’ redundancies
Employers must be “transparent, fair and reasonable” when making workers redundant, Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley told the House of Assembly last Thursday in a statement he …
Continue reading “Minister warns about ‘unfair’ redundancies”
April 26, 2021
Work permit exemptions revised
After a recent review, work permit exemptions will look different when the Department of Labour and Workforce Development resumes granting them, according to Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minster Vincent …
March 23, 2021
Layoff extensions nearly over
Time is nearly up for employers who have managed to avoid paying severance to their furloughed employees for nearly a year, Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley announced …
November 18, 2020
Furlough period extended until February
Amid demands from the business community, Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley has announced that the workforce furlough extension passed in the House of Assembly in June will …
November 16, 2020
Chamber demands another furlough extension
The workforce furlough extension passed in the House of Assembly in June expired on Saturday, and now the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association is demanding what it called …
Continue reading “Chamber demands another furlough extension”
October 1, 2020
Housing project slowed but progressing
Though the Covid-19 pandemic slowed work on government’s planned housing complex in Joes Hill, construction is still on track to be completed within the planned three-and-a-half years from when the …
July 31, 2020
House votes to review 2007 Constitution
As the Virgin Islands prepares to celebrate emancipation, elected leaders also turned to the history books this week before greenlighting a constitutional review. Premier Andrew Fahie referenced the political groundswell …
July 23, 2020
Labour relaxes new work-permit rules
On July 10, Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley announced the immediate implementation of extra steps for businesses renewing work permits. This week, he walked back that plan …
July 20, 2020
Government looks to ban TBT paint, sewage dumping
Residents are being encouraged to support reef-friendly products as government works to phase out suntan lotions and antifouling paints containing chemicals harmful to marine life, Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration …
Continue reading “Government looks to ban TBT paint, sewage dumping”
July 19, 2020
Gorda Peak park closed indefinitely
Gorda Peak National Park is closed until further notice because several areas in the park were illegally cleared for farming, according to Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley. …
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 17, 2020
NHI owes providers $4 million
The $7.5 million in Covid-19 relief funding earmarked to pay medical providers for their services rendered through the National Health Insurance system only went so far, and nearly $4 million …
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 …
June 24, 2020
Teams turn to Virgin Gorda for hazard review
Virgin Gorda is the latest target of vulnerability assessments that research teams are conducting in the territory to better understand the challenges facing each community. Teams will assess both natural …
Continue reading “Teams turn to Virgin Gorda for hazard review”
June 24, 2020
House passes border control measures
New border control measures aimed at giving the Virgin Islands more information about who is coming to the territory before they arrive passed the House of Assembly on June 16. …
June 18, 2020
Temporary layoffs can last up to 7 months
As more residents are laid off by businesses tightening their belts until the yet-to-be-declared date when Virgin Islands borders fully reopen, the government is taking measures that leaders say are …
Continue reading “Temporary layoffs can last up to 7 months”
June 7, 2020
Anegada Express launches new ferry from Road Town
On Tuesday Anegada Express launched a new, larger ferry that will operate four days a week between Road Town, Virgin Gorda’s Gun Creek, and Anegada. The vessel will run on …
Continue reading “Anegada Express launches new ferry from Road Town”
June 3, 2020
Leaders push to boost local food production
As the Virgin Islands hopes to scale up its fishing and farming sectors with the ultimate goal of becoming more self-sufficient, participants in a virtual forum last week said it …
Continue reading “Leaders push to boost local food production”
May 1, 2020
Bill would help guide border opening
Though government leaders have predicted that the full reopening of the Virgin Islands’ borders is months away, legislation is in the works that would require inbound passengers to provide detailed …
April 24, 2020
Survey collects info on 300-plus layoffs
A recent survey of businesses in the territory provided information about more than 300 of the workers who have lost their jobs because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing …
April 24, 2020
Visitors ‘stuck’ in British Virgin Islands
Because of the territory’s pandemic lockdown measures, many visitors have been “stuck” in the territory, Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Minister Vincent Wheatley said last Thursday in the House of …
Continue reading “Visitors ‘stuck’ in British Virgin Islands”
April 24, 2020
HOA votes to levy 7% tax on sending money via money services
The Financing and Money Services Act 2020, which passed unanimously Friday in the House of Assembly, imposes a seven percent tax on funds sent outside the territory via money services …
Continue reading “HOA votes to levy 7% tax on sending money via money services”
March 10, 2020
EDITORIAL: Mangrove planting is great, but new laws needed too
Government and non-profit organisations deserve kudos for working together recently to launch a major mangrove restoration programme, but we fear their work will be for naught if comprehensive changes aren’t …
Continue reading “EDITORIAL: Mangrove planting is great, but new laws needed too”
