After years of work compiling environmental, historical and cultural information about various islands in the territory, the Island Resources Foundation is tackling the largest and most difficult study — the one to cover Tortola. This profile is being funded almost entirely by private donors.
Previous profiles for Jost Van Dyke, Anegada and Virgin Gorda received most of their funding from the United Kingdom and Virgin Islands governments, with private donors contributing a smaller share. Initially, the non-profit foundation thought the Tortola profile would proceed the same way, IRF Vice PresidentJudith Towle said this week.
“Later, as [the VI government]got into the budget process, there were so many other constraints on the public purse and demands on the public sector, [the premier] said they thought it was an important project but they just couldn’t do it at this time,” Ms. Towle said.
But thanks to donations from foundations in the United States and from private companies and individuals in the VI, the IRF was able to raise 98 percent of the $140,000 needed for the Tortola profile. The VI Governor’s Office also contributed funds for the profile.
See the April 17, 2014 edition for full coverage.
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