A decision on water supply on Tortola was pending for months, and as such it should have been acceptable when the announcement came that a contract was awarded to the UK-based Biwater last Thursday. Ocean Conversion (OC) sat on the other side of the spectrum, competing against Biwater after forcing Government to at least examine their proposal for them to continue operation of the Baugher’s Bay plant. There have been statements made against both companies. Biwater’s track record around the world has been called into question while OC has been accused of delivering poorly, while holding out on shareholders. It would appear that the accusations are behind us now. Going forward, though, there is need to ensure that Biwater delivers on all of its promises.

A few weeks ago, the Police Information Office made a surprising announcement about appointments in the police force, a move that undoubtedly should serve to lift morale in the force.  The announcement came a year after the formation of the Police Service Commission (PSC) which advises the Governor on any appointments to, or removal from, an office within the Force.

An intervention targeting youth across the Virgin Islands is underway following last Sunday’s massive Youth Rally at the Multipurpose Sports Complex. The rally was instrumental in gathering children, teachers, parents and senior officials in the community.

There are calls for change sweeping across these Virgin Islands encouraging citizens to think long and hard about green initiatives and their impact on our lives. However, there is a lot of work to be done to educate citizens about the new plans to create a greener Virgin Islands. No matter where you go in today’s world, people are always talking about "green" products and ideas.

The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College has done us all proud and will continue to churn out students who will move on to be great leaders in this Territory and beyond. There must have been some collective pride when the College celebrated 20 years as an academic institution earlier this year. The college is more than just a symbol of educational independence, but represents the strength and vision of our past leaders to create opportunities to equip future generations with the necessary tools to face the world. The College has undergone significant changes academically. The edifice has also been upgraded from its original structure when the opening ceremony was held on January 14, 1990.