Ladies and gentlemen, I wish to address an important issue—Immigration.

Good afternoon. Thank you all for coming and thank you Premier for your statement. I wholeheartedly welcome your announcement on the Recovery and Development Agency (RDA) and applaud the leadership you and your Cabinet have shown in establishing it. I would also like to join the Premier in his thanks to Dr. Mathavious for agreeing to be Chairman of the Board.

Foreign and Commonwealth Permanent Under-Secretary (PUS), Sir Simon McDonald is featured with Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE and Cabinet Ministers as part of his first visit to the Territory.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Shortly after Hurricane Irma affected the Territory, a Disaster Recovery Coordinating Committee (DRCC) was established to provide oversight and advice on all aspects of the Territory's recovery activities and initiatives following the unprecedented trio of disaster events - floods of August and hurricanes Maria and Irma in September.  

Residents of the 4^th District are invited to the Band Stand on Friday, February 16 to be advised on how to apply for the Housing Recovery Assistance Programme.

Persons can now apply for Recovery Grants under the Housing Recovery Assistance Programme.

Permanent Under-Secretary (PUS) and the most senior Public Servant in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office Sir Simon McDonald will visit the British Virgin Islands as part of a brief tour of the region from Thursday, February 16 to Saturday, February 18.  

His Excellency the Governor Augustus Jaspert recently visited Salt and Copper Islands to conduct damage assessment and expand efforts to the sister islands following the weather events of 2017.

It is an honour to join you all today for the ground-breaking ceremony of the Enis Adams Primary School.

The sod was turned today, February 13 to commence the construction of a new and improved Enis Adams Primary School.