Protecting BVI's Reputation of Safety
A recent Friday Sage column warns that rising crime threatens the British Virgin Islands’ economy and social fabric, calling on elected officials to fund policing, revive the cadet programme and restore community responsibility. The writer urges the 13 elected representatives to act now to protect the Territory’s safety and its tourism-dependent livelihoods.
The British Virgin Islands’ natural beauty and world‑class sailing reputation depend on one thing above all: safety. A recent Friday Sage column warns that that reputation is under threat and urges urgent action from elected leaders to prevent crime from undermining the Territory’s economy and community life.
The column argues that the service industries that sustain the BVI — particularly yachting, tourism and other visitor services — require not only the perception but the reality of safety. It calls on the 13 elected representatives in the House of Assembly to allocate resources to the police, expand the cadet programme to build the next generation of officers, and prioritise community policing so residents and visitors can move freely without fear.
The piece also reflects on social changes that have weakened traditional informal safeguards. It notes that extended families and community oversight that once helped guide young people have in many cases given way to latchkey childhoods, less civic education in schools, and declining respect for property and authority.
The author links these cultural shifts to a rise in lawlessness and asks whether enough is being done to reverse the trend. During a recent regional crime summit, local and regional stakeholders highlighted the same priority: a stronger police presence on streets and in communities.
The column stresses that prevention — through recruitment, training and visible policing — must be funded now, or the Territory will pay later in prison costs, loss of life, trauma, and economic decline. It also reminds readers that the BVI has a constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom that can provide additional resources and support, but that partnership should not replace local responsibility.
The author quotes Wayne Stinnet’s line from Fallen King — "Man’s ability to create things really knows no bounds and is second only to his ability to destroy" — to underline the stakes. The message is direct: crime is the Territory’s Achilles heel and must be confronted aggressively.
The column ends with a call for seriousness from lawmakers and ministers, for investment in policing and youth programmes, and for residents to reclaim the civic duties that once helped keep communities safe. If action is delayed, the writer warns, the price will be counted in lost security, livelihoods and lives.
Primary source: Guavaberry