Dearest Gentle VG Reader,A trip to the Spanish Town Seaport these days is enough to put any sensible Virgin Gordan on high alert.For those unfamiliar, DEFCON 1 stands for Defense Readiness Condition, a military scale used by the United States. DEFCON 1 is the highest level — meaning nuclear war is imminent and everyone should probably start saying their prayers.While we are not quite expecting missiles at the ferry dock, a visit to the Spanish Town Seaport certainly demands the highest&nbs...

Every day across the Virgin Islands, motorists can be seen travelling with children standing between seats, sitting unrestrained in vehicles, or riding without appropriate child safety seats. It is a sight so common that many have become desensitised to the danger.But road safety experts warn that it takes only a split second for tragedy to strike.The recent death of a six-year-old child in St. John, United States Virgin Islands, serves as a heartbreaking reminder of the consequences that can re...

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, Virgin Islands – A 35-year-old man has been charged after police allegedly discovered a quantity of cannabis during a patrol operation in Baugher’s Bay last week.According to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), officers were conducting patrols in the area on Friday, June 19, when they observed Milford Todman Jr. exiting a red Kia Soul motor vehicle.Police reported that officers detected a strong odour consistent with cannabis coming from the vehicl...

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, Virgin Islands – The Ministry of Health and Social Development is encouraging residents to take proactive measures to protect medications, insulin, medical devices, and other essential health supplies as the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season continues.Chief of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Services, Mrs. Gracia Wheatley-Smith, said preparation should begin well before a storm threatens the Territory, particularly for persons managing chronic medical conditions.Mrs. Wheatle...

There is a comforting myth that patriotism means unquestioning loyalty to those in power. It does not.True citizenship often requires something far more difficult: courage.History teaches us that doing the right thing is not always safe. There are moments when citizens must choose conscience over comfort, principle over popularity, and truth over silence. Those choices can come at a cost. They can lead to ridicule, social isolation, the loss of friendships, threats to livelihoods, and in some so...

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The Gideons of the British Virgin Islands have donated a supply of New Testament Bibles to the British Virgin Islands Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) in a gesture aimed at providing comfort and spiritual support to patients, visitors and healthcare workers.The donation was formally presented on June 18 by Gideons representatives Joseph “Ed” DeCastro and Ian Nathaniel. Receiving the donation on behalf of the BVIHSA was Chief of Operations Cedoren...

Former Speaker of the House of Assembly Julian Willock repeatedly declined to say whether he has formally been hired as a special adviser to Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. Natalio Wheatley, despite persistent questioning during the Talking Points radio programme yesterday, June 22.The issue has been the subject of public discussion since March, when Premier Wheatley confirmed that his office was seeking to engage Willock as a special adviser. At the time, the Premier said no contract had be...

The Premier of the Virgin Islands has indicated that government is actively working toward the introduction of civil partnerships to provide legal recognition for same-sex couples, a development that has renewed debate across the Territory on constitutional rights, equality and international obligations.The comments come against a backdrop of long-standing legal and political tension over the absence of formal recognition for same-sex relationships in the Virgin Islands, where same-sex marriage ...