THE CARIBBEAN CONUNDRUM: UNITED BY TOURISTS, DIVIDED BY COVID; ST. BARTHS AND THE B.V.I.: FEW TOURISTS TO BE SEEN

The New York Times The pandemic struck these islands unequally. What does this mean for tourism, a major economic driver for the entire region? The answer is unique, just like the islands. On the glassy blue waters surrounding the U.S. Virgin Islands, catamarans and pleasure yachts have packed the shoreline for the past year — … Continued

USVI BOARD OF EDUCATION ORDERS DEPT. OF EDUCATION AND DEPT. OF HEALTH TO HOST IN-PERSON GRADUATION CEREMONIES FOR CHARLOTTE AMALIE AND EUDORA KEAN HIGH SCHOOLS

VI CONSORTIUM The V.I. Board of Education on Wednesday afternoon issued an order that directs the V.I. Dept. of Education and the V.I. Dept. of Health to come up with plans that fall within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines to host in-person graduation ceremonies for the Charlotte Amalie and Ivanna Eudora Kean … Continued

BARBADOS PREPARES FOR TRAVEL REOPENING

CaRIBBEAN NEWS NOW Over the past 18 months, Barbados Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders have been working extensively to prepare for the reopening for leisure and business travel in the island. During the launch of the new Barbados Tourism promotional campaign entitled “Little Island Big Barbados”, Minister Lisa Cummins describes the journey as a … Continued

MORE PERSONS ARRESTED IN USVI FOR ALLEGEDLY UPLOADING FAKE COVID-19 RESULTS INTO USVI TRAVEL PORTAL

VI CONSORTIUM ST. THOMAS — Law enforcement officers with the V.I. Covid-19 Task Force on Friday at 11:30 a.m. arrested ten people at the Cyril E. King Airport for allegedly uploading fake Covid-19 test results into the USVI Travel Portal, V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima has announced. According to the news release, officers arrested … Continued

OVER 300 GRADUATE AT UVI DURING VIRTUAL COMMENCEMENT EVENT

VI CONSORTIUM The University of the Virgin Islands on Friday graduated 313 students with degrees in a variety of disciplines, marking another successful year for the institution which two years ago started offering U.S. Virgin Islands students free tuition. The range of disciplines, seen in detail here, includes School of Education, School of Nursing, College … Continued

COVID-19 CAUSES CANCELLATION OF CARIFTA GAMES

CMC HAMILTON, Bermuda – The off-again, on-again Carifta Games, the region’s annual junior athletics showpiece set to be staged in Bermuda this year, are now officially off because of coronavirus pandemic regulations, organisers have announced. The news that young athletes around the Caribbean, and in particular in Bermuda, have dreaded was confirmed on Monday night … Continued

CHURCH CONGREGATION, PRIVATE PARTIES LED TO SHARP INCREASE IN COVID-19 CASES IN ST. THOMAS, HEALTH COMMISSIONER SAYS

VI CONSORTIUM V.I. Dept. of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion made known this week that a “dramatic uptick” in Covid-19 cases has been affecting St. Thomas over the past week, bringing the positivity rate to 3.33 percent compared to 1.86 percent last week. As of Monday there were 94 active cases in the territory, 16 of … Continued

USVI 16-YEAR-OLD BOY SHOT DEAD, 9-YEAR-OLD GIRL CHILD INJURED DURING DRIVE-BY SHOOTING IN KENNEDY HOUSING COMMUNITY, 2021 TOTAL HOMICIDES NOW 20

VI CONSORTIUM ST. CROIX – A 16-year-old boy was shot and killed early Sunday morning during a drive-by shooting at the John F. Kennedy Terrace housing community, the Consortium has learned, information that was corroborated by V.I.P.D. Public Information Officer Toby Derima. According to Mr. Derima, at about 12:21 a.m. Sunday the 911 Emergency Call … Continued