While perusing the Beacon’s website in a search of news on the recent plethora of dinghy thefts by rampaging youths, I saw reported in last week’s “Journal” a short announcement about a man who was set on fire by a group of young men.
The dinghy thefts are bad enough, but youths setting a man on fire? What has happened to this small community of Tortola that such a heinous act can even take place? It is beyond comprehension.
I immediately went to the other news sites and online forums to find out if this was really possible, but not one other website had covered the story. I began to wonder if the story was true and after seeing it published on page four of the Beacon last Thursday I called the newspaper to ascertain that such a story was valid. I was assured it was.
So the question now is why is this crime not all over the news? Why is it withheld from the public, and how come the six youths allegedly responsible were arrested and then discharged? Surely it’s horrific to contemplate and to read about, but if such a crime is possible is this tiny island then major steps need to be taken to control the societal ills that have infected the Virgin Islands and can lead to such a horrific crime.
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