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Students Tobias Evans, Dinneiqua Cameron and Tykai Fahie Win Rotary Club of Tortola Anti-Litter Campaign Poster Competition
Tobias Evans of Century House Montessori School, Dinneiqua Cameron of Joyce Samuel Primary School and Tykai Fahie of Elmore Stoutt High School are the winners of the Rotary Club of Tortola Anti-Litter Campaign poster competition.
A statement from the club said children from ages 6-16 were tasked with designing a poster that would send a strong message to the community against littering and encouraging proper garbage disposal as one of their primary activities for the Rotary year 2022 – 2023.
The committee received more than 50 amazing submissions from six schools across Tortola with Century House Montessori students submitting the most entries.
The competition, held in collaboration with Green VI and the Department of Solid Waste, was launched in December 2022.
The club recently added the environment as a new focus to target a behaviour change by reaching the wider community via the involvement of schools.
Club President Valerie Georges-Thomas thanked all the children who submitted entries, noting that the artwork was truly impactful.
“We can think of no better way to convey the anti-litter message than through children’s art and we heartily congratulate and are grateful to all of the schools and the students who participated in the competition. They delivered truly impactful works of art that gave the judges a lot to think about in their deliberations. We really hope that the general public will pay attention to the messages the children are sending through their art and consider changing their behaviour in relation to littering,” said Georges-Thomas.
The judges for the competition were renowned local artist Reuben Vanterpool, artist Debi Carson of Art Without Limits and Ellie Crespi, a member of the Club and lover of children’s art.
Winners have already received their prizes, but according to the statement, other students will receive their awards soon.
“The main thrust of the campaign is a series of messaging initiatives that the Club will put forth with the aim of impacting the mindset of the general public to result in gradual positive change in attitude and behaviour towards littering and the management of waste. The Club intends to host a neighbourhood beautification competition and undertake some clean up/beautification projects in various areas around the Virgin Islands as part of the campaign, teaming up with various strategic partners through the course of the campaign,” the statement explained.
Winners
Age 6-7
Tobias Evans- Montessori
Shanea John- AMPS
Nia Loi Wright- Cedar International
Honourable mention: Kiara Sorrentino – Montessori
Age 8-11
Dinneiqua Cameron- JSPS
Ashanti Partab- AMPS
Tianna DaSilva- JSPS
Honourable mention: Maggie Nolan- Montessori
Age 12-16
Tykai Fahie- Elmore Stoutt High School
Sara Augustine- St. George’s Secondary
Mary Torio- St George’s Secondary
Honourable mention: Zara Pascoe- Cedar International
The winning submissions will be incorporated into the Rotary Club of Tortola anti-litter campaign with artwork being featured on posters, billboards and recyclable shopping bags.
Soaring electricity bills, rising fuel prices and increasing import costs are placing growing pressure on households and businesses across the British Virgin Islands, prompting Claude Skelton Cline to warn during his Honestly Speaking radio program on May 19 that the territory should prepare for more difficult economic conditions and consider whether emergency measures may be needed to ease the burden.
Speaking on ZBVI Radio, Skelton Cline said the territory was entering a period of prolonged financial strain and urged residents, businesses and government officials to plan accordingly.
“The most dangerous position to be in right now is to be unprepared,” Skelton Cline said. “This thing is only going to intensify.”
Skelton Cline said higher utility costs were affecting nearly every sector of the economy, from households struggling to pay monthly bills to businesses facing decisions about staffing and operating expenses.
“These monthly utility bills are so exorbitant,” he said. “There is a domino effect of whether you can keep the same amount of staff.”
He questioned whether the government should consider using reserve funds and other measures to help stabilize fuel prices and provide relief to consumers.
“At what point does any of that trigger that creates a national state of emergency in this country?” Skelton Cline asked.
Skelton Cline noted that the territory has reserve funds and argued that policymakers should examine whether some of those resources could be used to reduce the impact of rising costs.
“There’s no reason why we should not be locking in fuel prices,” he said.
In addition to government action, Skelton Cline encouraged residents to take practical steps to reduce household expenses, including limiting electricity use and unplugging appliances when not in use.
“There are some things that are beyond our control, but there are some things that are within our control,” he said. “We must control those things.”
Skelton Cline said the British Virgin Islands had navigated difficult economic periods before and urged residents not to lose confidence.
“We cannot surrender to our frustration,” he said. “We cannot surrender to our cynicism and our skepticism.”
His comments come as consumers and business owners continue to face higher costs for electricity, fuel and imported goods, increasing concerns about the broader impact on employment, household budgets and the territory’s economy.
The Virgin Islands Icon Awards has announced 64 nominees across 13 categories for its 2026 ceremony, recognizing individuals and organizations for contributions in fields including sports, entrepreneurship, media, music, agriculture and public service, founder and executive producer Kareem Nelson Hull said.
The Virgin Islands Icon Awards was established to recognize individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the social, cultural and economic development of the Territory.
The Ministry of Health and Social Development is monitoring an outbreak of hantavirus linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius that has resulted in several confirmed cases and three deaths, but Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley, Minister for Health and Social Development, and Dr. Ronald Georges, Chief Medical Officer, said Monday that the risk to the Virgin Islands remains low.
The ministry said the reported cases involve passengers and crew aboard the Dutch expedition vessel, which was operating outside the Caribbean region. Health officials said there is no evidence of any cases in the Virgin Islands or elsewhere in the Caribbean.
Honourable Wheatley said the ministry is working with regional and international partners, including the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), to monitor the situation and strengthen surveillance systems.
“At this time, the risk to the Caribbean, including the Virgin Islands, is considered low,” Dr. Georges said. “We are utilizing enhanced surveillance systems and maintaining routine port health inspections and preparedness protocols to ensure the continued protection of public health.”
Hantavirus is a rare but potentially serious disease that is primarily transmitted through contact with infected rodents or their droppings, urine or saliva. Human-to-human transmission is extremely uncommon.
The ministry said the rodent species typically associated with the virus are not commonly found in Caribbean environments, further reducing the likelihood of local transmission.
Residents are advised to avoid contact with rodents and areas where they may be present, safely clean and disinfect areas contaminated by rodent waste, maintain proper sanitation and waste disposal, and seek medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever or respiratory distress.
Early symptoms of hantavirus can resemble the flu but may progress to more serious respiratory complications if not treated promptly.
“We will continue to work closely with regional and international partners to ensure that any potential risks are identified early and managed effectively,” Dr. Georges said. “Protecting the health and safety of our residents remains our top priority.”
The Ministry of Health and Social Development said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as necessary.
Rising Costs Will Intensify, Skelton Cline Warns as He Suggests Emergency Measures
Coronavirus disease 2019
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