Category: Business News

9 Historic American Figures With Ties to the U.S. Virgin Islands

The U.S. Virgin Islands continues to rank among the Caribbean’s top tourist destinations, especially on Airbnb. But there’s more to the American islands than just fun in the sun, as first reported by Mental Floss. Many historic figures have visited or lived in the region (Alexander Hamilton, anyone?), which, over the centuries, was seized by […]

VIDOL Failure To Pay UI Obligation Makes Private Employers Have To Pay 6 Times As Much For Unemployment Insurance

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — For the third consecutive year, the U.S. Virgin Islands is the only jurisdiction in the United States to not meet its outstanding Unemployment Insurance (UI) loan obligation to the U.S. Department of Labor. Because the Virgin Islands Department of Labor failed to make a critical USDOL payment by November 10, 2020, all […]

6 Boy Scouts Achieve Top Rank Of Eagle Scout On St. Croix In Virtual Ceremony

CHRISTIANSTED — The Boy Scouts motto is: “Be Prepared.” So when coronavirus happened in 2020, it didn’t prevent six St. Croix scouts from achieving the top rank of Eagle Scout. But instead of being recognized at an Eagle Court of Honor ceremony at the Howard M. Wall Boy Scout Camp — in adapting to their […]

Ontario Finance Minister Resigns Amid Outrage Over St. Barts Holiday Vacation

TORONTO — Ontario’s Finance Minister Rod Phillips resigned on Thursday after public outrage over a Caribbean vacation he took earlier this month in violation of his own government’s coronavirus travel warnings. Phillips, a member of the ruling Progressive Conservative Party in the Canadian province, admitted this week that he traveled to the French island of […]

Dollar’s Growing Dominance In Venezuela Leaves Locals ‘Short-Changed’

CARACAS — With her arms full of $11.87 worth of bananas, red peppers and onions, an elderly woman at a produce stand in western Caracas approaches vendor Walquiria Garcia and offers to pay with a $10 or $20 bill. A flustered Garcia disappears into a closet, re-emerges, takes the $10 note and scribbles, “owes $1.87” […]

United States Blacklists 2 Venezuelan Officials Over Former Citgo Executives’ Trial

WASHINGTON — The United States on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a Venezuelan judge and a prosecutor over their roles in the trial of six former executives of U.S. refiner Citgo sentenced to prison by a Venezuelan court last month. The U.S. Treasury Department in a statement said it blacklisted the Supreme Court judge who presided […]

Carnivorous Mushrooms? Leaching Septic Tank? Trade Winds? Barking Dogs? What Killed Rich Doumeng’s Flamboyant Tree? The Final Mystery of the Year 2020

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any weirder. The last day of the year of coronavirus — the dreaded COVID-19 — I mean what could go wrong today? Right? LOL! It is a mystery that involves barking dogs, carnivorous mushrooms, lurking septic tanks and toppling trees — and that is the […]

DLCA Commissioner Announces Results Of Holiday Food Basket Survey

CHRISTIANSTED — DLCA Commissioner Richard Evangelista said today the department’s territory-wide “More For Your Dollar” holiday food basket survey was completed on Monday. The market basket survey is designed to inform consumers of which stores have the best prices no matter the brand on staple grocery items, Commissioner Evangelista said. The number of items compared […]

House of Representatives Approves $2,000 Coronavirus Aid Checks Sought By Trump

PALM BEACH, Florida — The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives voted 275-134 to meet President Donald Trump’s demand for $2,000 COVID-19 relief checks on Monday, sending the measure on to an uncertain future in the Republican-controlled Senate. But even as Democrats helped secure approval for what the Republican president sought on stimulus payments, they spearheaded […]

Bryan Says He Approves Of Congress’ COVID-19 Relief Bill With Provisions To Pay Tenants’ Past Due Rent

CHRISTIANSTED — Governor Albert Bryan said he welcomes the federal funding coming to the U.S. Virgin Islands from Congress’ $900 billion COVID-19 relief measure that President Trump signed into law on Sunday, and he said the much-needed federal assistance will bring some level of support to Virgin Islanders and local businesses as the pandemic continues.  “While […]