Local News
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court Launches New Law Year with Focus on Innovation and Justice Reform
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) will mark the commencement of the New Law Year on Friday, January 12, with its traditional Ceremonial Opening proceedings under the theme “Innovation and Justice Reform” – The ECSC Looking to the Future. This year, the host Member State is Grenada, where the first scheduled sitting for the Court of Appeal for 2024 will occur.
The Ceremonial Opening will commence with a church service in most Member States and Territories, followed by the procession to the High Court, where the formal Special Sitting of the Court will be held. In the Territory of the Virgin Islands, the Church Service will be held at the Apostolic Faith Church, Road Town, Tortola, commencing at 8:00 a.m. This will be followed by the gathering moving to the Civil Court Room, 4th Floor, Sakal Building for the Special Sitting to mark the Opening of the Law Year. The Special Sitting will commence at 10:00 a.m.
Similar to the past three years, there will be one Special Sitting throughout the 9 Member States and Territories. The Chief Justice, Her Ladyship Dame Janice M. Pereira, DBE, LL.D, will deliver the feature address, appearing live from the Court in Grenada along with the other speakers from the various Member States and Territories of the Eastern Caribbean.
The Special Sitting will be streamed live to the other Member States and Territories via the Grenada Information Services media platforms and social media pages to the other Member States and Territories of the OECS. It will also be live-streamed via the Court’s Website and Facebook Page, the websites and social media pages of the Government Information Services in each Member State and Territory and UWITV.
The public is encouraged to participate in the Ceremonial Opening of the Law Year 2024 by attending either the church service or the Special Sitting or by watching and listening on the various media platforms.
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) was established in 1967 by the West Indies Associated States Supreme Court Order No. 223 of 1967. The (ECSC) is a superior court of record for the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British Overseas Territories (Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, and Montserrat). It has unlimited jurisdiction in each Member State.
To learn more about the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC), please visit our website @ https://www.eccourts.org/ or call us at Tel: 758-457-3600.
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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