Lauren Keil, Programme Manager of the VI Purpose Fund, announced the funding increase during an appearance on The Morning Facts with Cindy Rosan, revealing that the competition’s prize pool has grown from the previously announced $200,000.

“In fact, I’m excited to announce we actually just recently had a new donor come to the table and say, ‘We love this program, we want to put $50,000 additionally on the table,’” Keil said. “So we now have $250,000 to give out. This is the first time we’re publicly announcing it.”

The Impact Challenge is a flagship initiative of the VI Purpose Fund, which supports Virgin Islands entrepreneurs developing businesses that promote environmental sustainability while strengthening the local economy. The program is entering its second year after supporting two winning ventures in 2025 — BlockWorks VI and Report the Reef.

Keil said this year’s competition focuses on projects that contribute to ocean health and environmental resilience, but stressed that eligibility extends beyond businesses operating directly on the water.

“Before you think, ‘Oh, my business isn’t directly related to the ocean,’ there are so many land-based businesses that affect the ocean’s health,” she said.

The challenge is seeking applications in six priority areas, including sustainable fisheries, food sovereignty, carbon reduction, sargassum management, recycling and circular economy initiatives.

“Any business that is replacing a product that we import regularly with a locally manufactured product has a reduction of carbon emissions linked to it,” Keil said. “Any farming business that is really building our resilience and making us a stronger food sovereign nation is also eligible.”

She added that entrepreneurs developing solutions for sargassum seaweed blooms are encouraged to apply.

“We all know the problems of sargassum seaweed blooms that we receive, but there are entrepreneurs in other countries that have found viable business solutions to sargassum problems,” Keil said.

According to Unite BVI, businesses addressing sustainable fisheries, regenerative aquaculture, ocean-linked food production, marine restoration, waste reduction, recycling and import substitution are among those being targeted through the competition.

Applications opened on April 2 and will remain open until June 10. Keil said entrepreneurs do not need a trade licence when submitting their initial application but must obtain one before advancing to the final stages of the competition.

“We encourage entrepreneurs who don’t have trade licences but want to apply, please apply for your trade licence,” she said.

Last year’s inaugural challenge attracted 47 applications.

“We had 47 applications last year, which for an inaugural business competition we thought was really great,” Keil said. “This year we’re hoping for three or four times that. That is the dream, and we have a lot of interest.”

The selection process will narrow applicants to six finalists who will pitch their business ideas before judges including Sir Richard Branson and Rick Kearney.

“The judges can choose to give all $250,000 to one outstanding entrepreneur or divide it among multiple businesses, depending on the strength of the applications,” Keil explained.

In addition to funding, successful applicants will receive a year of business incubation and acceleration support.

“At Unite BVI, we commit to the winners of the Impact Challenge by giving them a full year of business incubation and acceleration support services,” Keil said. “We build a bespoke team around them to really support them and give them every chance to succeed.”

The VI Purpose Fund was established to support businesses that strengthen economic resilience while protecting the Virgin Islands’ natural environment. Unite BVI officials have said the initiative is designed to encourage local innovation and develop solutions with both environmental and commercial benefits.

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Speaking on The Morning Facts with Cindy Rosan on May 21, Vanterpool said the project, which was developed during his tenure as minister responsible for ports, has proven its worth through increased visitor arrivals, economic activity and revenue generation.

“The port got value for money,” Vanterpool said, citing independent evaluations conducted after construction was completed.

The Cruise Pier Development Project, which opened in 2015, expanded the territory’s capacity to accommodate large cruise ships and included the construction of the Tortola Pier Park commercial complex. The project became one of the most debated public infrastructure developments in Virgin Islands history after its cost rose beyond original estimates and questions were raised about procurement and oversight.

Vanterpool rejected suggestions that the project failed to justify its final cost, arguing that changes made during construction were necessary to create a more resilient and functional facility.

According to Vanterpool, the original proposal would not have adequately accommodated modern cruise vessels and included structures that would have been less resistant to hurricanes. He said the decision was made to redesign elements of the project, including constructing reinforced concrete and steel buildings and expanding docking capacity.

“We decided we were going to build a dock that can hold two ships that are there now,” he said.

Vanterpool said independent assessments commissioned after completion concluded that the project represented value for money and generated substantial economic returns for the Territory through tourism-related spending.

“The estimated benefit to the territory in terms of gross domestic product was over $100 million that the cruise pier would produce every year,” he said.

He also noted that the financing used to construct the facility is nearing repayment.

“I am very pleased with the cruise pier,” Vanterpool said.

While defending the development, Vanterpool argued that additional investment is needed to maximize the potential of the waterfront district. He revealed that he recently discussed new development concepts for the area, including the possibility of constructing hotel accommodations near the cruise pier.

Among the ideas he said have been proposed is a twin-tower hotel development on opposite sides of the waterfront, including one tower near the cruise pier and another in the Village Cay area.

“I prefer to build eventually what they call a tower hotel,” Vanterpool said, adding that he recently shared the concept with officials involved in discussions about the future of the area.

The proposal, he said, would build on existing tourism infrastructure and create additional accommodations within walking distance of the cruise terminal and Road Town’s commercial district.

Vanterpool said the Cruise Pier Development Project should ultimately be evaluated by its long-term economic contribution to the Virgin Islands rather than the political controversy that surrounded its construction.

“Are the constituents of the territory, the residents, benefiting economically from it? Yes,” he said. “The loan that we borrowed to build it is almost finished, and the territory continues to benefit from it.”

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Speaking on The Morning Facts with Cindy Rosan on May 21, Vanterpool rejected suggestions that he influenced his sister’s decision to support the Virgin Islands Party administration after she was elected as an at-large representative on the National Democratic Party ticket.

“Honourable Lorna Smith, if you know my sister, my dear sister, if you know her, she’s a very intelligent person,” Vanterpool said. “She is a very clear-minded person of the direction she wants to go, and she makes her own decisions.”

Smith’s decision in April 2023 altered the political balance of the House of Assembly after no party secured an outright majority in the general election. The Virgin Islands Party won six seats, one short of the seven required to form a government. Shortly after the election, Smith agreed to support the Virgin Islands Party administration led by Honourable Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley and was subsequently appointed Deputy Premier and Minister for Financial Services, Labour and Trade. The move generated significant public debate because she had campaigned as a National Democratic Party candidate and is married to former Premier Dr. D. Orlando Smith, founder of the National Democratic Party.

Vanterpool said the controversy surrounding the decision has overshadowed what he views as its benefits for the Territory.

“Was it the right decision? I will stand here and say, I think it was,” he said. “The territory needed her expertise in what she was doing.”

He argued that Smith’s decades of experience in public administration, financial services and economic development would have had a greater impact from within government than from the opposition benches.

“I didn’t think the territory would benefit from that expertise as well from the backbench or from an opposition side,” Vanterpool said. “What she did benefited the territory, and it continues to benefit the territory.”

The former Fourth District representative also dismissed claims that he played a role in persuading Smith to support the government.

“It was her decision,” Vanterpool said. “I don’t want people to think that she’s a very intelligent person who makes her own decisions as to what she should do. She made a decision, and I support it.”

Smith herself previously stated that neither her husband, former Premier Dr. D. Orlando Smith, nor others made the decision for her, emphasizing that it was a choice she reached independently after post-election discussions.

While acknowledging that some voters disagreed with the move, Vanterpool said elected officials must ultimately focus on governing rather than political divisions.

“People will always have opposition to that kind of thing because people hold on to the party subject and all those issues when an election is over,” he said. “Let’s see how we can make the country better.”

Vanterpool maintained that Smith’s decision should be judged by its impact on the Territory rather than the political controversy it generated.

“I will not flinch by saying that I think she made the right decision,” he said. “What she did benefited the territory.”

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Speaking on his Honestly Speaking radio programme on May 19, Skelton Cline said the territory should explore mechanisms to lock in fuel prices amid continued volatility in global energy markets and mounting concerns over the cost of living.

“There’s no reason why we should not be locking in fuel prices,” Skelton Cline said. “We have $120 million in reserve.”

His comments come as residents continue to face higher electricity bills, fuel surcharges and transportation costs, issues he said are affecting families, businesses and the broader economy.

Skelton Cline acknowledged the government’s recent decision to allocate funding to help offset electricity costs but questioned whether additional measures may be needed to shield consumers from future increases.

“There’s going to be a serious monopoly and a further suffocation of this country,” he said while discussing fuel supply and pricing concerns. “We have to start planning. This thing is going to get more and more out of hand.”

The radio host argued that reserve funds could potentially be used to secure more predictable fuel pricing arrangements, although he did not outline a specific policy proposal. He suggested that government officials begin discussions on contingency plans before economic pressures worsen.

“We need to begin to think and talk and lay out a plan,” Skelton Cline said. “The most dangerous place for you to be is to be unprepared.”

The Virgin Islands remains heavily dependent on imported fuel and energy supplies, making the territory vulnerable to fluctuations in global oil prices and shipping costs. Higher fuel prices have also contributed to increased operating expenses for businesses and higher utility bills for consumers.

Skelton Cline said the territory’s dependence on imports leaves residents exposed to external economic shocks and called for greater long-term planning to strengthen economic resilience.

“How many times do I have to come to this microphone and say it?” he asked. “The most dangerous position for a person, a family, a community or a country is to be unprepared.”

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The Government of the Virgin Islands has redesigned the long-delayed West End Ferry Terminal Redevelopment Project after construction bids came in tens of millions of dollars above budget, prompting officials to scale back the plans and prepare to reopen the tender process later this year.

In an update issued by the Ministry of Communications and Works, headed by Minister of Communications and Works Hon. Kye Rymer, officials said the original tender process produced two bids — approximately $64 million from a joint venture of two local firms and $94 million from a Canadian company. Both proposals exceeded the approved budget and were deemed unaffordable.

The project was subsequently paused with the approval of the Caribbean Development Bank, which is financing the redevelopment under its Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Loan program.

The redesigned terminal, prepared by German engineering and architectural firm INROS Lackner SE, reduces the size of the building while retaining core facilities for passenger processing, customs and immigration. The ministry said engineering assessments also confirmed that additional land reclamation will still be required because the existing site is not stable enough to support the new structure.

“The Ministry recognises that this is not the outcome anyone had hoped for,” the statement said, adding that the redesign was necessary to keep the project within available resources.

The West End Ferry Terminal is one of the territory’s main transportation gateways and serves ferries, water taxis, private vessels and charter yachts traveling between Tortola, Jost Van Dyke and the neighboring United States Virgin Islands. Before Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck in September 2017, the terminal handled a significant share of the British Virgin Islands’ sea arrivals and was a critical entry point for tourists and residents.

The existing terminal was severely damaged during the 2017 storms, which disrupted transportation infrastructure across the territory and led to a broader reconstruction effort supported by international financing. The redevelopment project is part of the government’s post-hurricane recovery and resilience program and is intended to improve border security, expand passenger processing capacity and strengthen one of the territory’s most important links to regional travel and tourism.

The project has been in development for several years. In 2021, the government signed a $1.05 million contract with INROS Lackner SE to design the terminal and oversee construction. The original concept called for a modern, climate-resilient facility capable of accommodating growing passenger volumes while providing upgraded customs, immigration and security services.

The procurement process has faced repeated delays. After an initial prequalification exercise in 2023 did not yield qualified bidders, the process was restarted under revised criteria approved by the Caribbean Development Bank. Four firms were eventually shortlisted, and two bids were submitted in January 2025.

Officials said the revised design preserves the project’s essential features while aligning the scope with the approved budget. The Ministry of Communications and Works said the construction tender process is expected to reopen later this year.

“The Ministry understands that people are disappointed with the pace of this project,” the statement said. “Every effort is being made to move the project forward as quickly as possible.”

The West End Ferry Terminal Redevelopment Project is regarded as one of the government’s priority infrastructure initiatives and is expected to play a central role in improving transportation, tourism and economic activity in the Virgin Islands.

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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.

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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.”

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The fugitive known as John Dawn Emmanuel, also identified as Brent Dain Danglade and the alias “Small Brent,” who was first named by the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) in connection with the May 2025 murder of Nyron Erickson in Tortola, is now also being sought by authorities in Sint Maarten in relation to a separate double homicide investigation.

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– Premier Wheatley Tips Off Season with Ceremonial Free Throw

The 2026 Winston Bolus National District Basketball League opened Saturday, May 9, at the Multi-Purpose Sports Complex, with four games played over two days as the British Virgin Islands Basketball Association resumed organized district basketball competition.

Premier Natalio D. Wheatley officially opened the league by taking a ceremonial free throw during the opening ceremony, which marked the start of a season designed to strengthen coaching and expand opportunities for young athletes across the Virgin Islands.

Saturday’s schedule began with a Junior Division matchup in which Skillfull Ballers Club defeated On A Mission of the Ninth District, 79-27.

Azani Frett led Skillfull Ballers Club with 17 points. Neshaun Frett added 14 points, four steals and three blocks, while Azaniah Glasgow contributed 13 points and five assists.

On A Mission was led by Caleb Stuart, who scored 10 points and added three rebounds and one block.

In Saturday’s Senior Division game, Relentless of the Fourth District defeated VG Elite of the Ninth District, 90-70.

Shakeem Blackemor scored 29 points to lead Relentless. Devante Brewley added 16 points, and Tavon Phillip contributed 13 points.

VG Elite was paced by Shamarr George with 24 points, while Stephano Paul added 14 points.

On Sunday, Mt. Zion Stars of the Second District edged Young Empire of the Eighth District, 54-49, in Junior Division play.

Zion Phillip led Mt. Zion Stars with 25 points and 19 rebounds. Michael Sue added 10 points, including seven in the fourth quarter.

Young Empire was led by Jaleil Matthew with 15 points, while Ricco Bailey scored 12.

In the final game of the weekend, Run It Up of the Third District defeated Empire of the Eighth District, 63-45, in the Senior Division.

Kymal Panchoo recorded 23 points and 13 rebounds for Run It Up, and Jamal Serrante added 15 points.

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One man was seriously injured following a two-vehicle collision in the Sea Cows Bay area on Tuesday morning.

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