Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE is away from the Territory attending the Pre-Joint Ministerial Council Meeting (JMC) in Turks and Caicos from Tuesday, July 19 until Thursday, July 21.

Honourable Premier is joining other Overseas Territory (OT) Leaders at the Pre-JMC to discuss OT priorities for ministerial discussions with the United Kingdom (UK) later this year. 

During his One-On-One press briefing on Monday, July 18, Honourable Premier said that Brexit is high on the agenda, including how BVI and other OTs will benefit from the European Union (EU) and how OTs will be involved in UK negotiations with the EU.

He added that financial services will also be on the agenda.

“We will discuss ways in which territories can address the offshore stigma by reinforcing to the global community that small international financial centres (IFCs) such as BVI regulatory regime meets highest international standards and play an important role in the global economy,” Premier Smith said.

He further stated, “In the margins of the Pre-JMC, the OT Leaders of the Associate Members of CARICOM, including BVI, will have a special meeting with CARICOM Secretary General, Dr. Irwin Larocque to discuss our priorities and the overall CARICOM agenda, including a proposed Caribbean international conference on correspondent banking, and more general, the OTs ongoing relationship and engagement with CARICOM.”

Following the Pre-JMC meeting, the Premier will proceed on personal leave from July 21 and will return to the Territory on July 26.

In the absence of the Honourable Premier, Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering will act as Premier for the period July 19 to July 26.

Honourable Pickering’s appointment is in accordance with Section 55 (1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 which states, “If the Premier is expected to be absent from the Virgin Islands for more than forty-eight hours, the Governor shall authorise the Deputy Premier to perform the functions of the office of Premier; and the Governor shall revoke this authority on the return to the Virgin Islands of the Premier.”