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Virgin Islands Doubles Residency Requirement for Belonger Status

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The Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2024, signed into law by Governor Daniel Pruce on November 1, introduces significant changes to the Territory’s immigration policies. Among the most notable amendments is the doubling of the residency requirement for individuals seeking Belonger status, extending the period from ten to twenty years.

The legislation also establishes an Immigration Appeals Board to handle challenges and disputes, reflecting the government’s commitment to enhancing the transparency and accountability of the immigration process. Premier Natalio Wheatley described the amendments as a step forward in refining the system. “We are committed to ensuring that the process is transparent and equitab

Governor Daniel Pruce

le,” the Premier said in a statement. 

While the new law introduces robust measures to regulate and manage immigration, it has drawn mixed reactions. One key point of contention is the lack of new pathways for children born in the Virgin Islands to non-Belonger parents. Critics argue that this omission leaves a gap in addressing a demographic often caught in legal limbo.

The amended law also tasks a newly created Quota Setting Committee with advising the Board of Immigration on annual quotas for residence and Belonger certificates. This ensures that quotas align with the Territory’s capacity and strategic objectives.

However, the law is not yet in effect. It will commence on a date to be announced by the Premier in the official Gazette. Applications submitted before this date will be processed under the previous legal framework, providing clarity for those already in the system.

The government has framed these changes as part of its broader strategy to ensure sustainable growth and prosperity for the Virgin Islands. “These amendments are designed to support the Territory’s long-term goals while maintaining fairness for all residents,” a government statement emphasised.

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Minister Rymer Briefed on Airport Infrastructure Enhancements

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Minister of Communications and Works, Honourable Kye Rymer, has received a briefing on recent infrastructural upgrades completed at the Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport.

The update was provided by Mr Kurt Menal, Managing Director of the BVI Airports Authority (BVIAA), who highlighted key improvements designed to enhance passenger experience and operational efficiency at the Territory’s main airport.

Among the completed upgrades is the installation of a new luggage conveyor belt and expanded baggage collection area. The upgraded system has a greater capacity than the previous setup, aimed at improving the flow of passengers through the arrivals process.

Mr Menal also pointed to the commissioning of a modern sewage treatment plant, which has the capacity to accommodate up to 500,000 passengers annually. The environmentally sustainable system supports the BVIAA’s broader objectives of expanding airport capacity while meeting international environmental standards.

“The BVIAA continues to meet the safety and regulatory requirements outlined in the Air Navigation (Overseas Territories) Order 2001 and other applicable instruments,” Mr Menal said. “We are also focused on maintaining an environment that fosters employee excellence and high standards of service.”

The infrastructure enhancements form part of the government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the Territory’s transportation network and prepare for anticipated increases in passenger traffic.

 

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Education

Twelve Primary Schools Advance to Final Round of 2025 Spelling Bee

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Twelve primary schools in the Virgin Islands have secured places in the final round of the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports’ 2025 Spelling Bee Competition, scheduled to take place on 4 June.

The finalists were selected from a group of 17 schools that participated in the preliminary round, which featured a total of 34 students. Competitors prepared by studying a word list comprising approximately 3,000 words ahead of the event.

The final round of the competition will be streamed live on the official Facebook page of the Government of the Virgin Islands.

A recording of the preliminary round is also available for viewing on the same platform, at BVIGovernment.

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BVI Officials Host Panel on Early Childhood Development Challenges and Solutions

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Officials from the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports in the British Virgin Islands recently convened a panel discussion addressing the challenges and opportunities in early childhood development across the Territory.

The panel brought together voices from education, health, and the private sector. Participants included Chief Education Officer Mrs Orlandette Crabbe; Consultant Paediatrician in the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) Dr Natasha Frett; Founder of Imagination Academy VI Ms Sharia de Castro; and Education Officer responsible for Early Childhood Development Ms Kimberly George.

The session focused on the importance of early childhood education and the need for strategic approaches to prepare young children with both academic and non-academic skills.

Chief Education Officer Mrs Crabbe emphasised the value of foundational skills in preparing children for formal schooling.

“In formal schooling we start from the very beginning, but let me tell you what we want,” Mrs Crabbe said. “We want a child that can listen, and follow instructions, who can relate to their peers without throwing a tantrum and falling down because they have to share a pencil or crayon.”

She continued, “We want our centres to be empowered to focus on what matters, and those are those non-academic skills that come about through engagement in a child’s natural environment, which is play.”

Education Officer Ms Kimberly George echoed this sentiment, reinforcing the Ministry’s focus on long-term impact.

“In the Ministry, we worked to add the tagline ‘Early Learning, Lifelong Impact’ because we believe that early learning does have a lifelong impact on our children in the future,” she said. “As a Ministry, we are committed to ensuring that students receive the quality learning experience that they deserve at that level.”

From the health sector, Dr Natasha Frett provided insight on brain development in early childhood and its connection to future learning.

“I am sure many of you would have heard that in the first five years of life, it is very critical for mental and brain development,” Dr Frett stated. “It is during that time that about 90 percent of the brain is being developed, under the age of five. Here we have this opportunity where you have all these neural pathways and connections being formed.”

Dr Frett described this period as “a perfect opportunity to develop certain learning skills—cognitive learning skills, social learning skills—all of these are very important for the age of five because the brain is maturing.”

Founder of Imagination Academy VI Ms Sharia de Castro contributed her perspective from the private education sector, calling for a shift from traditional instruction to more interactive, skill-based learning.

“I think we have to move away from the culture that is quick to put a pencil into their hand and give them a worksheet,” Ms de Castro said. “Instead, give them interactive experiences where their whole body is engaged.”

She explained, “For example, if we are focusing on letter identification or formation, instead of giving them a pencil and asking them to do that, we give them some playdough and ask them to form it instead—because we are building finger muscles and everything that we need for later learning.”

The panel discussion was part of Early Childhood Awareness Week. The full video is available for public viewing on the Government’s official Facebook page at BVIGovernment.

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