Good morning to all. I’d like to begin this message by thanking you the people of the Virgin Islands. Even though we closed out yesterday with a degree of uncertainty about what Hurricane Jerry might bring, many of you heeded the advice of the Department of Disaster Management and my “better safe than sorry”...

Earlier today, we learned that Hurricane Jerry has developed to the east of the Leeward Islands. The Department of Disaster Management has been closely following the development of Jerry and other systems in this, the most active period of the Atlantic Hurricane Season. 

The following is an excerpt from the statement given by Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie during the Press Conference on the Report to the People On the Official Visit to the UK.

Fellow Virgin Islanders and Residents, A pleasant Good Day and God’s Blessings to you.

First let me take this time to thank God for allowing my delegation and I to travel to the UK and back home safely.

Fellow Virgin Islanders and Residents, A pleasant Good Day and God’s Blessings to you.

In keeping with my pledge to keep you informed of all matters that are likely to have significant impact on your lives and interests as citizens, I wish to say that today I will be leading a delegation of officials of the Government of the Virgin Islands to the United Kingdom (UK) to discuss the conditions of the loan guarantee, among other areas. 

I would like to start, on the second anniversary of Hurricane Irma, by saying that my heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to the people of the Bahamas at this extremely difficult time following the passage of Hurricane Dorian. 

People of the Virgin Islands, good day and God’s blessings.  As you would have heard me speak about in the House of Assembly already, I have been in contact with Prime Minister of The Bahamas Dr. Hubert Minniss on a daily basis since Hurricane Dorian made its destructive landfall on those shores. Dr. Minniss and the people of The Bahamas are grateful for our prayers and for the assistance that we have been able to offer thus far.

My Dear Virgin Islanders and Residents, Good Day and God’s Blessings.  Since the announcement on Friday, August 30 by His Excellency, The Governor, of his selection and assignment of Permanent Secretaries to the various government ministries, and subsequently my statement during the Sixth Sitting of the First Session of the fourth House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands on Monday 2^nd September there has been a lot of discussion among the public on the topic.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I give God many thanks for extending His mercies unto this Territory as we weathered Hurricane Dorian, first as a Tropical Storm and then as a Category 1 Hurricane on Wednesday, August 28.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement on the Governor’s appointment of Permanent Secretaries and those who were reassigned to new Government Ministries.