Good morning to the people of the Virgin Islands and members of the media.

Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to update this Honourable House on the Secondary Summer School Initiative, 2022.  Before giving the results, I would like to give a brief background. There was a total of two hundred and twenty-two (224) students enrolled in Grade 12 at public secondary schools. Of the total, one hundred and sixty-eight (168) students or seventy-give percent (75%) were successful and fifty-six (56) or twenty-five percent (25%) were unsuccessful in completing their secondary level graduation requirements.

Madame Speaker, lands have always been central to the economic and social development of the Virgin Islands.  Ownership of our land has enabled greater prosperity and opportunities for homeownership, commercial development and recreation to name a few.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to provide the House of Assembly with an update on the development of the Beach Management Plan for Long Bay, Beef Island, being led by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour.  Since the first round of public consultations in March when the Conceptual Plan was presented for feedback, the Ministry has been working towards drafting the Detailed Beach Management Plan, taking into consideration feedback received during the consultations.

Madame Speaker, I am pleased to share recent advancements in ensuring greater awareness of the availability of lands for first-time land and property owners, as well as those who are seeking to increase their stake in the economic and social development of our beautiful islands. 

Madame Speaker, on 18^th March 2022, the OECS Assembly, during its sixth sitting, approved the establishment of a Regional Conservation Caucus in the Eastern Caribbean, which will be commonly known as the Conservation Caucus.  The Conservation Caucus is intended to be a vehicle for advocacy, engagement, and action on international commitments and agreements and will hence:

Madam Speaker, we live in a geographic location that grants us certain privileges which others must travel or relocate to experience.  Our 60 islands and cays, to which we have ample access, are all surrounded by beautiful white sand.  I also recognise that because sand is so readily available, persons may not just use it for their enjoyment, but also for other purposes and that is what I need to urgently address in this sitting. 

Madam Speaker, the Elmore Stoutt High School Redevelopment Project continues to progress at an accelerated pace and all hands are on deck to bring this project to completion.

Madam Speaker, the preliminary results of the 2022 CXC Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations were released on Monday, 5^th September, 2022.

His Excellency, the Governor Mr. John J. Rankin, CMG, chaired the Meeting held on 5 th October, 2022, which was held at the Financial Services Commission’s Resource Centre, Jones Building.