Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, has continued on his commitment to hold Cabinet meetings on the Territory’s main islands and has announced that the Cabinet will meet on January 15 at Four Diamonds Park Villas in Setting Point  on Anegada.

This decision was made in consultation with the Governor and Chairman, His Excellency Mr. Augustus J. U. Jaspert and comes on the heels of the Cabinet’s first meeting of 2020, which was held on the Sister Island of Jost Van Dyke last week.

Premier Fahie said, “Historically, Cabinet meetings have only been held on Tortola. As a Government, we are unconventional. We understand that as a Cabinet (Ministers and I), we make decisions that also affect residents on the Sister Islands.”

The Premier  said, “Although the meetings are closed to the public, we see it fit to have the presence of Cabinet meetings on other Sister Islands, as our decisions affect everyone in the Territory. That is why I ensured that we included in the Speech from the Throne my Government’s commitment and intention to have at least one meeting a year on a few of our Sister Islands.”

Premier Fahie added, “We are on track now with two meetings. Last week we held Cabinet on Jost Van Dyke, and now we will convene a meeting on Anegada. Once again, we have a promise made, a promise kept, and a promise delivered to the people of the Virgin Islands."

Chairman of the Cabinet, Governor Jaspert said, “I once again commend efforts to include our Sister Islands in various aspects of our government and democracy. With Cabinet being held on Anegada, we have now had Cabinet on each of our main sister islands, which has allowed for our citizens and residents to have the top executive decision making body sitting in their community.”

The Cabinet of the Virgin Islands is comprised of the Governor, who is the Chairman; the Premier, the four Ministers and the Attorney General, as an ex officio member.  The Cabinet is responsible for the formulation of policy, including directing the implementation of such policy as it relates to every aspect of Government, except those matters for which the Governor has special responsibility under section 60 of Constitution. Decisions are made in Cabinet by collective agreement of the elected Members as Ministers. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the House of Assembly for such policies and their implementation.

Attached:   Photo - Members of the Cabinet of the Virgin Islands on Jost Van Dyke on January 8