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BVI Elected Vice Chair of UN Caribbean Development Committee

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The British Virgin Islands (BVI) has been elected by acclimation as a Vice Chair of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC), a subsidiary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). This decision was confirmed at the 30th Session of the CDCC held on September 11, 2024.

The election results designate Trinidad and Tobago as Chair, Saint Lucia and Jamaica as Vice Chairs, and Saint Kitts and Nevis as Rapporteur. Senior ECLAC officials, including Executive Secretary Mr. Jose Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs and Director of the ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Mrs. Diane Quarless, were present at the session.

In its new role, the BVI will assist the Chair, represented by the Honourable Pennelope Beckles-Robinson, Minister of Planning and Development of Trinidad and Tobago. The BVI will support the CDCC’s programme of work for 2024-26, focusing on advancing the Caribbean’s sustainable development and climate resilience under the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Additionally, the BVI will lead a new Working Group established by CDCC resolution to enhance UN system collaboration on providing assistance to ECLAC Associate Members, aiding their sustainability, resilience, and development.

During the CDCC session, Special Envoy Mr. Benito Wheatley, in his capacity as BVI Representative to the UN in Latin America and the Caribbean, assumed the role of Vice Chair. He also participated in the 8th Meeting of the Caribbean Development Roundtable (CDR) from September 9-10, ahead of the CDCC session.

Mr. Wheatley expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating, “We are humbled by the trust and confidence placed in the British Virgin Islands by ECLAC, the UN system, and the CDCC membership. It is an honour to represent the BVI on this crucial committee that supports the sustainable development and economic transformation of the Caribbean. We look forward to working collaboratively with the CDCC Bureau, committee members, and development partners to advance the subregion.”

The BVI has been an Associate Member of ECLAC since 1984 and joined the CDCC in 1985. The CDCC, established in 1975, aims to facilitate the cooperation and development of the Caribbean subregion.

Entertainment

Sylvanna Charles Crowned Miss Elegantly Plus 2025

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Sylvanna L. Charles, representing the British Virgin Islands, was crowned Miss Elegantly Plus 2025 at the highly anticipated Miss Elegantly Plus Caribbean Queen Pageant on March 14. Charles secured the title with 518 points, marking a historic moment as the first-ever Miss Elegantly Plus. In addition to the main title, Charles earned multiple special awards throughout the night, including Best Evening Wear, Best Photogenic, Best Talent, Best Flag Couture Ambassadorial Presentation, and the Top Model Award.

Mekelia A. Miller from Trinidad & Tobago earned the 1st Runner-Up title with 483 points, receiving accolades in Best Onstage Interview and Best Resort Wear.

 The Miss Enterprise award and Best in Opening Number went to Hasanna Graham, representing the U.S. Virgin Islands. Graham’s performance in these segments was highly praised.

Milove J. S. Fontaine from Antigua & Barbuda was awarded Miss Congeniality and stood out in the Best Resort Wear category.

The event which featured delegates from the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, and Antigua & Barbuda celebrated the beauty and empowerment of plus-size women in the Caribbean. Each delegate showcased their individual talents, poise, and community engagement.

The pageant also included two optional segments on March 13—the Spokeswoman Speech and Fun Fashion categories. While these events were not factored into the final scores, they allowed delegates to demonstrate their personalities and love for pageantry. Charles emerged victorious in both segments.

The inaugural Miss Elegantly Plus pageant is expected to set the stage for future editions, with the aim of empowering plus-size women across the Caribbean to embrace their beauty and confidence.

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Entertainment

Sylvanna Charles Claims Early Wins Ahead of Inaugural Miss Elegantly Plus Caribbean Queen Pageant

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The stage is set for the highly anticipated Miss Elegantly Plus Caribbean Queen Pageant, as four accomplished women from across the region prepare to compete for the title. The event will take place on Friday, March 14, at 7 PM at the Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) in Tortola, British Virgin Islands.

Ahead of the main competition, some delegates participated in two optional segments on March 13—the Spokeswoman Speech and Fun Fashion categories. While these events do not contribute to the final scores, they provided a platform for the contestants to express their personalities and love for pageantry. Emerging victorious in both categories was Delegate #3, Sylvanna Charles, Miss Elegantly Plus British Virgin Islands, who impressed judges at The Golden Soirée with her eloquence and style.

The inaugural pageant will bring together delegates representing the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, and Antigua & Barbuda, each of whom has a strong background in pageantry and community engagement.

Representing the British Virgin Islands is Sylvanna L. Charles, who was crowned BVI Festival Princess in 2005. Hasanna Graham, carrying the banner for the U.S. Virgin Islands, previously earned the title of Miss Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School in 2012. Mekelia A. Miller, hailing from Trinidad & Tobago, won the Miss La Reine Rive’ (Miss Best Village) title in the 2023 Prime Minister’s Best Village Trophy Competition. From Antigua & Barbuda, Milove J. S. Fontaine joins the lineup, having been crowned Miss Charisma in 2020.

This competition is more than just a pageant—it is a celebration of cultural pride, elegance, and confidence among plus-size women in the Caribbean. The winner will make history as the first-ever Miss Elegantly Plus Caribbean Queen, setting the foundation for future editions of this empowering event.

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Crime/Police

Why Is Oleanvine Maynard Set for Release on March 21?

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Just over a year after pleading guilty in the high-profile drug trafficking case, Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, the former Managing Director of the BVI Ports Authority, is set to walk free much earlier than expected. But why?

According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Maynard, 63, who is currently incarcerated at Baltimore RRM, is scheduled for release on March 21—a short cry from the nine-year sentence she received in June 2023 for her role in a DEA-led drug trafficking conspiracy. The abrupt reduction raises questions about what factors contributed to her early release.

Now, with Oleanvine Maynard’s sudden release date just days away, speculation grows over whether her cooperation with U.S. authorities played a larger role in the case than previously known. What did she reveal, and who else might be implicated? Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor the BOP has publicly addressed the specifics of her shortened incarceration. However, it is common for federal inmates to receive sentence reductions for substantial assistance in ongoing investigations or for participating in rehabilitation programs.

Her son, Kadeem Stephan Maynard, 33, who was convicted alongside her, is also due for release soon—on April 6. He is currently being held at Miami FDC. Kadeem was sentenced to 57 months but will serve just over two years since his guilty plea in 2023.

Meanwhile, former BVI Premier Andrew Alturo Fahie, convicted in February 2024 on charges of conspiracy to import cocaine and money laundering, faces a much longer road. He remains incarcerated at Jesup FCI, with a release date currently set for May 30, 2033.

Maynard’s upcoming freedom is bound to spark debate in the BVI and beyond. As she prepares to return to society, the public is left with a lingering question. If she truly struck a deal, what information did she provide, and how deep does this case go?

Oleanvine Maynard, her son Kadeem Maynard, and former Premier Andrew Fahie were arrested in April 2022 in a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sting operation in Miami, Florida. The case stemmed from an undercover investigation in which DEA agents, posing as members of the Mexican Sinaloa Cartel, approached the officials with an offer to traffic thousands of kilograms of cocaine through the British Virgin Islands to the U.S. mainland.

During the sting, Fahie and the Maynards allegedly agreed to facilitate the drug shipments in exchange for millions of dollars in bribes. Court documents revealed that Oleanvine Maynard was eager to play a key role in the operation, referring to the opportunity as her “blessing.”

The arrests exposed deep concerns about government corruption and drug trafficking links in the territory. In June 2023, Oleanvine Maynard pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import cocaine and money laundering, while her son Kadeem also pleaded guilty to drug charges.

Fahie, who initially maintained his innocence, was convicted in February 2024 after a trial in Miami federal court. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

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