I wish to provide a brief update to you the people of the Virgin Islands on your Government’s participation in and cooperation with the ongoing Commission of Inquiry (COI).

Good day and God's Blessings to all the people of the Virgin Islands and beyond.

As we move forward together, to accelerate the further reopening of our tourism industry and re-energising of the Virgin Islands economy, as we continue to make major adjustments under the new phases of our strategy for balancing lives and livelihoods in this ongoing COVID-19 Global Pandemic, I am pleased as your Premier to address you the Virgin Islands people once again.

On the advice of the Health Emergency Operating Center, the public is advised that the “Anegada Appreciation Boat Ride” scheduled for Saturday, 29^th May 2021 is postponed until further notice.  

His Excellency, the Governor Mr. John J. Rankin, CMG, chaired the Meeting held on 12th May, 2021, which was held at the Financial Services Commission’s Conference Room.

I extend greetings to all in the BVI, the Caribbean region and the world.  Mr. Speaker, the last update on the COVID-19 Situation was issued on 5^th May 2021.  As of today, 13^th May 2021, 32,057 tests were conducted on individuals swabbed throughout the Territory and evaluated at the Dr. D Orlando Smith Hospital.

Mister Speaker, for some years now, the Department of Culture has celebrated International Museum Day whilst placing a focus on our Territory’s museums. Mr. Speaker, if you recall, last year, the celebrations for International Museum Day were completely virtual and were highlighted through the release of a virtual exhibition in a two-part series entitled, “From Perreen Georges to Noel Lloyd: Heroes and Freedom Fighters.”

Mister Speaker, I take this opportunity to update this Honourable House on my Ministry’s support of sports development and to report on some of our athletes as they continue to promote the Territory through their outstanding performances.

Mister Speaker, I’ve been made aware of an island-wide water interruption on the island of Anegada.  Mister Speaker this is due to a transformer that is no longer working.  I can assure you that the teams of the Water and Sewerage Department, they are working alongside with the BVI Electricity Corporation to rectify this matter, in the most expeditious manner possible.

You would recall that shortly after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic in March 2020, we in the BVI were presented with a grim projection – based on the scientific data - that unless decisive preventative steps were taken, the Territory was looking at getting 3,700 coronavirus cases in our small population.

His Excellency, the Governor Mr. John J. Rankin, CMG, chaired the Meeting held on 28th April, 2021, which was held at the Financial Services Commission’s Conference Room.