Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. the Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering visited the facilities and viewed operations at the Terrence B. Lettsome International Airport on Beef Island on Wednesday, December 30.  

At the margins of the UNFCCC COP21, where world leaders are meeting to discuss means to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system, the Association of Overseas Countries and Territories of the European Union (OCTA) made an important announcement. OCTA has recently joined the SIDS Lighthouse Initiative and through this new partnership, OCTA and IRENA join forces to accelerate the development and deployment of renewable energy in islands.

The BVI has experienced kaleidoscopes of thousands of quiet flying insects since October 2015. The Great Southern White Butterfly, whose scientific name is Ascia monuste eubotea has been spotted in swarms moving with the winds throughout the hills and valleys, along the carriageways, in the villages and at sea, as they fly to and from the various islands and in our capital, Road Town.

His Excellency the Governor, Mr. John S. Duncan, OBE, is away from the Territory until January 6.

The British Virgin Islands is now removed from the French list of non-cooperative tax jurisdictions. 

The Environmental Health Division is making amendments to the processing of food handler clinics beginning January 2016 in an effort to increase efficiency.

The sewerage treatment plant at Burt Point is now operational and producing treated effluent.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Dr. the Honourable Kedrick Pickering has pledged his continued support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in 2016. 

The Government of the Virgin Islands was successful in getting recognition of the Territory’s ‘largely compliant rating’ by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Global Forum, and agreement by the United Kingdom to restate that it is not appropriate for the Overseas Territories (OT) to be labelled ‘tax havens’.

The Grand Opening of Tortola Pier Park has been postponed until February 16, 2016.