Madame Speaker, at this time I wish to make a statement on the payment for performance increments for public officers.

In 2014 when many countries experienced financially rigorous times, and governments began to cut their costs by downsizing public offices and jobs, the Government of the Virgin Islands committed to deploying strategies and initiatives to improve the financial and economic future of this country.

Madame Speaker, with your kind permission, I would like to make the following Statement:

Madame Speaker, the BVI continues to be a well-known and recognised international finance centre. This status comes with certain obligations and responsibilities including, in particular, ensuring compliance with established international standards on regulation, law enforcement and cooperation.

Madame Speaker over a year ago, I took up the position of chairman of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA). 

Upon taking up this position I set out in my agenda, a number of Objectives for the advancement of the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) that I wished to pursue within the framework of the revised Overseas Association Decision (OAD), and across four areas of work that included political visibility, programming, partnership and participation.