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  level o...

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...

The crowd stood and applauded an icon.  Some were overwhelmed by emotions.  Others, all but jumped for joy.  But those who saw the bigger picture understood that a piece of BVI history was being made.  But the honoree remained seated as phones were pointed in his direction with the camera app activated.  There were flashes of light.  His image was frozen in time; Captured for posterity.  Feelings of euphoria invaded the psyche of family, close friends and well-wishers.And we recalled that 1971 h...

As the United States marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Americans are reflecting on the meaning of freedom, self-determination, and nationhood. Across that vast nation, celebrations, ceremonies, and historical commemorations are underway to honor a defining moment in world history.But while the eyes of the world may be fixed on America’s semiquincentennial, there is another 250-year story of freedom that deserves recognition much closer to home.It is the story...

The absence of a political leader’s spouse from official functions often sparks questions among the public. In small communities such as the Virgin Islands, where leaders are highly visible and residents take a keen interest in public affairs, those questions can quickly become the subject of widespread discussion.In recent months, some residents have observed that Premier Natalio Wheatley’s wife has not featured prominently at public events and official engagements. The resulting curiosity is...

On Tuesday evening the Leader of Government Business delivered his State of the Territory Address under the theme, “Keep moving forward.” It was the Premier’s moment to report to the people about his stewardship on their behalf.The Premier was clear that “progress is a journey,” and we know that BVI had been on that journey since the Legislative Council was restored on 20 November 1950.The next BVI Constitution Order followed in 1967 after Mary Macdonald Proudfoot filed her Constitutional C...

Long Bay beach, Beef Island, must now be the most beautiful beach to grace the Tortola shoreline.  There was a time when Cane Garden Bay beach held that distinction.  But her lungs, the ponds, that protected her are filled in and, coupled with eutrophication, she is compromised.Long Bay is still ringed by its ponds which carry out their sedimentation and filtration functions so the beach remains painfully beautiful.I visited Long Bay last Saturday as the sun was illuminating a panoramic view of ...

The Premier bit the bullet.  He ordered his Airports Minister to place a request for proposals to add just shy of 800 feet to the west of the existing runway.  It allows our visitors added safety in take-off but does not, in that form, address the landing threshold.We know that the extension would be more effective at the eastern end but we appear to still be tied up addressing questions based on the business case.  (And we have been directed to cease all activities, otherwise, including environ...