Commentary

In his biweekly column, Langley Shazor speaks to issues important to men within the territory.

The Virgin Islands Board of Education issues this statement not as routine communication, but as a moral response to a wound still open in our community. A young life was lost a couple of weeks ago as a result of violence in our Territory, and the weight of that loss has not faded with time. We are not only mourning a life lost. We are confronting what is being lost every time violence is chosen.

Attorney Ponteen has held many distinguished positions in the Government of the Virgin Islands to include Acting Director of the Bureau of Corrections and Senior Budget Analyst in the Office of Management and Budget. 

It is important to know the geological history that helps to explain present tree distribution in the Virgin islands and Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico and the adjacent islands began as submarine volcanoes on the ocean floor, according to geologists, some 125 million years ago and were built by the end of the Cretaceous period, which was about 80 million years ago.

Around a domino table, Virgin Islanders confront a difficult question: Who is willing to come home, and who is truly qualified to lead the territory forward? Carmelo Rivera and Trina Soto-Clarke argue it's time to demand more from those seeking the governor's office.

Leaders also review proposed Water Island hotel development and agreement to restore horse racing on St. Croix 

Every time another young life is lost to violence in the Virgin Islands, we ask the same questions. What is wrong with our children? Where are the parents? Why are our young people becoming so violent? Perhaps it is time we ask a different question. What if our children are simply becoming more like us?

36th Legislature of the Virgin Islands' revised weekly calendar

In his biweekly column, Langley Shazor speaks to issues important to men within the territory.

I pray for God’s guidance and protection as we continue to make history and leave our footprints on the grounds of this great nation which was built by the blood and sweat of our ancestors.

In the Virgin Islands, reporting violence is not always simple. This editorial explores the realities of retaliation, the human cost of gun violence and why the community must keep searching for solutions that save lives.

We cannot continue accepting violence as normal. We cannot continue losing our young people to senseless acts that leave families shattered and communities grieving. Every life lost is a tragedy. Every child taken from us is a future stolen. When we are faced with challenging times, we must not fall into despair; we must fall into community.

Though the stadium erupted as the Knicks and their fans celebrated, and the owners quickly acted to protect their money, beneath this excitement lies a crucial lesson: society often celebrates collective action in entertainment but fails to apply a similar level of engagement and responsibility to democratic life.

Through more than 29 books, Richard A. Schrader Sr. dedicated his life to preserving the stories, traditions, language, and history of the Virgin Islands. In this tribute, Geron A. W. Richards reflects on the cultural giant who inspired generations of Virgin Islanders and whose legacy continues to nourish the community long after his passing.

Senator Fonseca joins the wider Virgin Islands community in honoring the life and legacy of Samuel “Sam” Topp and offers prayers of comfort, peace, and strength to his loved ones during this difficult time.

Our community will feel his absence deeply. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, his colleagues and all those who loved him."

The death of 15-year-old Tre’Vante Etienne has left a family grieving and a community searching for answers. Former Sen. Donna Frett-Gregory writes that the Virgin Islands must respond with more than mourning—it must respond with action.

The story of American freedom is often told through 1776, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Juneteenth. But nearly two decades before emancipation reached the mainland, more than 9,000 enslaved laborers on St. Croix forced their own liberation at Fort Frederik.

All expenses of the baobab tree project in Grove Place were paid for by the Virgin Islands Trail Alliance organization, to install the benches, signage, and painting of poles along the road near the tree. However, my heart was broken when I learned that the property owner, Ms. Magdalene Edney, passed away. She never got a chance to see the baobab tree project completed. The signage and benches under the historic baobab tree in Grove Place are a tribute to her and her family.

In his biweekly column, Langley Shazor speaks to issues important to men within the territory.