Sylvan Benjamin Dies at 57
Marion Dorothy Hatchett Dies at 95
Bryan Calls for Resignations Amid Federal Investigation into Misuse of Funds
Committee Favors Leasing Sub Base Properties
Wheatley Center Celebrates 50 Years of Resilience and Community Spirit
The Wheatley Center, a beloved commercial hub on St. Thomas, marked its 50th anniversary Saturday with a festive event that showcased its resilience and deep-rooted connection to the community. Despite enduring a fire and several Category 5 hurricanes since its inception in the 1970s, the center has stood the test of time, evolving into a bustling spot where residents gather for shopping, socializing, and more.
The celebration, held in the center’s parking lot, was a heartfelt tribute to the spirit of St. Thomas. Families and children reveled in activities like Jenga and cornhole, transforming the usually busy space into a playground of joy and laughter. Disc jockey Tony T kept the energy high with his excellent music selection, while entertainment was further enriched by the performances of Happy Time.
The event was graced by the presence of the Wheatley family—Luana, Maurice, and Henry Wheatley—whose legacy continues to shape the center. Property managers Anthony Chaline and Alexandria Holder were also on hand, ensuring the event ran smoothly and reflecting on the center’s rich history and promising future.
A significant aspect of the celebration was the impressive lineup of sponsors who contributed to the event’s success. These included The Fruit Bowl, Doctors Choice Pharmacy, A+ Education Supplies, Supreme Media & Print, Kingdom Prayer & Power Ministries, Silk Greenery, Liberty PRVI, Paradise Party Decor, Strictly the Best Clothing, Marianne’s, Homemade Taste Restaurant, Manar Pet Supplies, Wings on Fire, Beauty Royal Group, and Sanabil Bakery. Their support underscored the strong network of businesses that the Wheatley Center nurtures within the community.
Though the event was momentarily halted by a sudden downpour, the rain did little to dampen the spirits of those present. Participants enjoyed themselves thoroughly until the weather intervened, a testament to the vibrant and resilient community spirit.
A highlight of the event was a generous donation of $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Club, symbolizing the Wheatley Center’s ongoing commitment to giving back to the community that has supported it through the decades. This gesture reflects the center’s enduring role not just as a commercial entity but as a pillar of community support and development.
As the Wheatley Center looks ahead to the next 50 years, it remains a symbol of resilience and community spirit on St. Thomas. Its history of overcoming adversity and its dedication to fostering a sense of togetherness are qualities that will undoubtedly continue to define its legacy.
Island Mixx 14U Elite Shows Improvement at 2024 AAU National Volleyball Championships
Virtue of the Week – Assertiveness
Virtue of the Week – Assertiveness
Virtue of the Week focuses on building peaceful and caring communities through understanding and fostering the practice of virtues. The Source supports the Virtues Project and will publish one virtue developed by the project each week.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness is speaking one’s truth with peaceful confidence. It is discerning the song we were given to sing and using out talents as a gift to the world. We have the courage to speak up for what we believe is right. We tell the truth about what is just. Assertiveness comes from knowing our own worth and honoring the dignity of who we are. We stand on our own holy ground and set boundaries without guilt. We never beg or make demands. We ask for what we need by making simple, positive requests. We treat ourselves with respect and expect respect at all times.
Quote: “Dost thou reckon thyself a puny form, when within thee the universe is folded?” -Imam Ali
The Practice of Assertiveness
I speak my truth with confidence.
I value the gifts I have to give.
I stand up for what I think is right.
I honor my own worth.
I set clear boundaries.
I know I am worthy of respect.
I am thankful for the gift of Assertiveness. It is the guardian of my dignity.
Questions for Discussion
- What would give you the confidence to speak your truth?
- What impacts/gets in the way of you being able to speak your truth?
- Are there any internal or external factors that are inhibiting me from speaking my truth
- Is there a personal gift you are withholding from your community? Is there a gift that is in exile? What is the reason and what would help liberate it?
- What boundaries do I have? What boundaries do I need?
- What helps me hold my boundaries? When are my boundaries tested?
About the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Since 1990, CFVI has been a catalyst for positive change in the territory through initiatives committed to youth, learning, family support and the environment. With a professional staff and a volunteer Board of Directors composed of community leaders, CFVI is a trusted advocate and supporter of programs that ensure opportunity and sustainability for current and future generations. CFVI is a registered non-profit organization entirely supported by individual donors, grants, trusts, corporate donations and estate planning. For more information, visit www.cfvi.net.
About Virtues Matter Virtues Matter was started by a passionate wife-husband team of social entrepreneurs seeking to positively uplift as many lives as possible. We aim to inspire and empower, to build capacity, strengthen relationships, and help everyone lead lives of passion and purpose.
Virtues Matter believes in a world where people are committed to kindness and respect, strive to be their best, and live with hope, courage and in unity. We built the Virtues Cards mobile app, an interactive personal and team development tool, to help people identify and develop key virtue skills. We also offer dynamic workshops, online training, and customized programs to help people cultivate these positive qualities of character. To learn more, visit virtuesmatter.com.
To learn more about the Virtues Project, visit www.virtuesproject.com. USVI Receives Climate Change Assessment by U.S. Global Change Research Project
Dr. Ragster, in her roles as a research associate with the Caribbean Exploratory Research Center and a member of the US Global Change Research Project (USGCRP), along with Lloyd Gardner, executive director of the Foundation for Development Planning Inc., and Nora Alvarez-Berrios of the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Puerto Rico, has been tracking the effects of climate change on the 3.2 million people who inhabit the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The trio participated in the 5th National Climate Assessment as authors on the regional chapter for the USVI and Puerto Rico.
In 2023, numerous temperature records were shattered, especially on St. Croix, where it was the warmest year on record, according to Ragster. With an aging population in the USVI, housing, transportation and agriculture are critically impacted by climate change.
Climate change degrades ecosystems like coral reefs, which protect low-lying areas from flooding. Facilities such as power plants, marine ports and airports are impacted by storm-induced flooding. Water and food security become increasingly vulnerable, creating a need for governmental agencies to create contingency plans.
“We’ve got to come together and be collaborative in our approach,” Bryan said. “We need to have a climate change response ingrained in the culture going forward.”
Editor’s Note: A previous version of this story misstated Lloyd Gardner’s affiliation. He is executive director of the Foundation for Development Planning Inc. Weekly Weather Forecast with Jesse Daley
Check out our weekly weather forecast with Jesse Daley, covering Sunday, June 16, through Saturday, June 22. Our YouTube playlist is updated every week, AND check out Jesse’s daily weather updates here.
Fahie Claims Minor Role In Cocaine Scheme, Seeks Lessened Sentence
Andrew Fahie, the former British Virgin Islands leader who used the code name Head Coach in a plot to smuggle huge quantities of cocaine through Tortola to the mainland United States then hide the proceeds, has asked a federal judge in Miami to lessen his potential penalty when sentenced.
Fahie, 53, was convicted of cocaine smuggling and money laundering charges Feb. 8. Arrested with Fahie in Miami April 28, 2022 was the BVI’s then-Ports Authority Managing Director Oleanvine Pickering Maynard, who pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced Thursday. Maynard’s son, Kadeem Maynard, was arrested on St. Thomas the same day and in a plea deal was sentenced to 57 months in prison.
Fahie could be sentenced to life in prison and a $10-million fine. He’s asked the judge to sentence him to a maximum of 10 years — the minimum.
Fahie’s attorney filed a brief June 7 claiming the former top elected B.V.I. official had only a minor role in the plot, had no knowledge of a side deal between Maynard and government agents posing as drug runners, and did not actually import any cocaine.
“Mr. Fahie objects to the suggestion that the offense involved the importation of cocaine. The manufactured scheme in this law enforcement sting called for purported drug dealers to use the port at Tortola in the BVI as a temporary storage facility for a substance that would ultimately be transported to Puerto Rico and then on to Miami, Florida. However, as there were no laboratory tests of any substance, there is no proof that a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine would have been transported from a place outside the United States (BVI) into a place inside the United States (Puerto Rico),” Fahie’s attorneys wrote to the court.
Fahie’s attorneys also claimed he never actually had interactions with Lebanese Hezbollah operatives. Prosecutors had said Pickering Maynard and her son had been falsely told they were dealing with the Sinaloa Drug Cartel and Lebanese terrorists in the deal. Fahie’s attorneys argued no such terrorists were involved with Fahie.
“The crimes of which Mr. Fahie stands convicted did not involve the Lebanese individuals the Confidential Source identified as Hezbollah operatives,” the attorneys told the court regarding Fahie’s pre-sentencing report. “The mere suggestion of a wholly unsupported connection between Mr. Fahie and members of a designated terrorist organization is highly prejudicial and inflammatory and requires any reference to ‘Hezbollah’ to be removed from the PSR.”
Representing Road Town residents in the BVI House of Assembly since 1999, Fahie was the territory’s highest ranking publicly elected official from 2019 until a few days after his arrest. Being an elected public official warranted a more severe sentence, but his attorneys argued he was less informed about the plot to park container ships laden with cocaine in Tortola for a few days to gain legitimacy than his co-defendants.
“Compared to both K. Maynard and O. Maynard, the degree to which Mr. Fahie understood the scope and structure of the purported scheme was much more limited,” his attorneys wrote. “Mr. Fahie had no part in planning or organizing the purported scheme, and he exercised no decision-making authority. The Maynards acknowledged that information was withheld from Mr. Fahie. At best the Government’s evidence showed that Mr. Fahie was more of a figurehead than an active participant, and although he stood to earn a large amount of money, he did not stand to earn as much as the participants who would be more permanent and who were involved in the ‘side deal.'”
Confidential informants gathered some 8,000 minutes of secretly recorded audio tape in which Fahie bragged about myriad illicit acts, including offering to supply weapons to the government agents posing as drug runners, prosecutors said. Pickering Maynard called him a “little crook.”
Fahie’s attorneys asked the court to sentence him to the minimum, 10 years in prison.
