CARIBBEAN YEAR IN REVIEW WITH COVID-19

As witnessed by the still growing number of coronavirus cases in the Caribbean region… sunlight did not kill COVID.   The virus, which emerged from Wuhan, China, made its way across Europe and into America, and eventually snuck into the Caribbean through the cruise ship industry and return flights.   Here’s a look at COVID-19 in the Caribbean, the changes it brought, and all the ups and downs.   Illness and loss of life  The … Continued

TEXT-BASED PUBLIC ART INSTALLATION BY AKIMADÉLARCHER OPENED DECEMBER 28

Castries, Saint Lucia A new installation BY AKIMADÉLARCHER opened on December 28th. The exhibition, Political Utterances will be on display until January 28.  In this text-based public art installation Political Utterances, AKIMADÉLARCHER explores the concept of Art With A Purpose by using outdoor spaces (Electronic Billboards – Vigie and Bois d’Orange) and social media. In … Continued

TRUMP SIGNS COVID-19 AID BILL; US VIRGIN ISLANDERS TO RECEIVE STIMULUS PAYMENTS ‘QUICK,’ GOVERNOR BRYAN SAYS

VI CONSORTIUM President Trump late Sunday signed the $2.3 trillion Covid-19 aid and government spending bill into law after opposing the measure last week, paving the way for Americans — including Virgin Islanders — to receive direct coronavirus-induced stimulus payments. For Americans on the mainland, the payments are expected to come within days. For Virgin … Continued

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS NAMED DESTINATION OF THE YEAR BY LEADING CARIBBEAN TRAVEL ONLINE MAGAZINE

VI CONSORTIUM The U.S. Virgin Islands has received the “Destination of the Year” award from Caribbean Journal, a digital Caribbean travel news publication. The USVI captured the top spot in the 7th edition of the “Caribbean Travel Awards”, while The Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas was named “Caribbean Hotel of the Year”. The luxury resort, which reopened … Continued

US VIRGIN ISLANDERS WILL MOST LIKELY GET SECOND STIMULUS CHECK, $300 PER WEEK IN ENHANCED UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BY YEAR’S END AS PART OF CONGRESS’S $900 BILLION CORONAVIRUS PACKAGE

VI CONSORTIUM US Virgin Islanders will join other territories and mainland Americans in receiving a second coronavirus-induced direct stimulus payment by year’s end as part of a $900 billion coronavirus relief package hastily making its way through Congress with consensus on both sides of the aisle. The measure is expected to pass both the House … Continued

FIRST COVID-19 VACCINES ADMINISTERED IN US VIRGIN ISLANDS

An interventional nephrologist on St. Croix and an infectious disease physician on St. Thomas were among the clinical healthcare staff in the Virgin Islands to receive the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine recently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. According to the Department of Health, minutes after the vaccine shipment was delivered from the Department … Continued