Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley has defended the Virgin Islands’ growing tourism sector, pointing to a significant increase in visitor arrivals as evidence that the Territory’s economy is benefiting. However, while the headline figures are impressive, economists and tourism experts have long argued that visitor numbers alone do not measure the true economic success of a destination.Speaking recently on Talking Points, Premier Wheatley said the Virgin Islands welcomed approximately 850,000 visitor...

The Government of the Virgin Islands, through the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development, is inviting residents to attend a special Remembrance Ceremony commemorating the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Fancy Me—one of the deadliest maritime disasters in the Territory’s history.The ceremony will be held on Sunday, 26 July 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m. at Sir Olva Georges Plaza in Road Town, Tortola.The Fancy Me disaster remains one of the most heartbreaking events in V...

Nearly nine years after Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands, the territory’s recovery effort has entered one of its darkest chapters.The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), under the Trump Administration, has suspended all future federal funding to the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (VIHFA), accusing the agency of years of financial mismanagement, weak oversight, false certifications, improper payments and allowing a culture in which fraud ...

The next Constitution of the Virgin Islands is expected to shape the Territory for generations, defining the relationship between citizens and government, protecting rights, determining how power is exercised and establishing the framework for accountability.But as formal constitutional negotiations between the Virgin Islands and the United Kingdom begin, a fundamental question now sits at the centre of the process:Will the final Constitution truly reflect the voice of the people, or will it pri...

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, British Virgin Islands — More than four years after being removed from active duty following one of the most politically charged events in Virgin Islands history, senior public officer Najan Christopher returned to work on Monday, July 20, marking the end of a prolonged legal and professional ordeal that unfolded in the aftermath of former Premier Andrew Fahie’s arrest and the sweeping governance reforms that followed.Christopher’s return represents more than the reinstate...

**UPDATE**The deceased has now been identified as 36 year old  Leny G. Graycochea. **Earlier Story**ROAD TOWN, Tortola, British Virgin Islands — A young Filipino woman was alleged to have been found dead at a residence in the McNamara area on Monday evening, in an incident that has left members of the Territory’s Filipino community in mourning.Guavaberry Media understands that throughout Monday, July 20, numerous members of the public contacted the news outlet after observing a significant eme...

LONDON, United Kingdom — The United Kingdom has entered another chapter of political change as Andy Burnham officially became Prime Minister on Monday, July 20, 2026, after Sir Keir Starmer resigned and King Charles III invited Burnham to form a new government.Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester, becomes the 59th Prime Minister in British history and the seventh person to hold the office in just 10 years, highlighting the extraordinary political turnover Britain has experienced sinc...

GEORGETOWN, Guyana — A massive search and rescue operation is underway in Guyana after a passenger ferry carrying 133 people capsized off the country’s northern coast, leaving dozens feared dead in one of the nation’s most serious maritime disasters in recent years.The vessel, identified as the MV Barima, was travelling from Georgetown to Port Kaituma when it encountered difficulties late Saturday night before capsizing near the Pomeroon River area. Authorities said the ferry was carrying 116...