STATEMENT BY PREMIER AND MINISTER OF FINANCE HONOURABLE ANDREW A. FAHIE
DURING THE FIFTH SITTING OF THE SECOND SESSION OF THE FOURTH HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

Thursday, 20^th February, 2020
10:00 a.m.

Thank you God

Mister Speaker, my statement is titled. Thank you God

Mister Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank God for keeping His guiding hands on this Government, the unconventional Government. In other words, we walk by faith and not by sight—this is what we mean by unconventional. God lead, we trust Him and follow!

I thank God that in the midst of challenges, He helps us to see opportunities. In the midst of opportunities, He helps us to see breakthroughs. And, in the midst of breakthroughs, He helps us to advance, develop, discover and to leap and step forward. And, for these bountiful blessings the Government of the people is thankful, because what we do is not for us, but for the people.

So, Mister Speaker, this morning I just want to thank God because as a Government we continue to be unconventional, innovative, accountable and responsive, serving in the best interest of the people of the Virgin Islands.

When we started this Journey on February 26 2019, we started out with eight Members. Now, we have nine members as we have welcomed the Honourable Member and Representative for the Sixth District who took the leap of faith and pledged her support in the furtherance of the vision of transforming the Virgin Islands into a leading regional economy and to the uplifting of Virgin Islanders across the Territory.

Mister Speaker, once again, I say welcome to Honourable Alvera Maduro Caines who understood when I said during the Budget Address that the year 2020 is one of vision. Mister Speaker, she saw it clearly. Now she is here sitting on the right side of history with the new Virgin Islands Party Government. She has already hit the ground running and is doing her part in our overall pursuit of a resilient and a prosperous Virgin Islands.

I thank God for all my colleagues on this side of the aisle for their unwavering commitment to each other, to the people and to me, as they do keep me as the Premier on my toes.

I thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for keeping the foot of the Government to the fire because what this does is makes us even more committed to doing only the will of God for the people and this Territory in an accountable way.

I thank public officers and other public officials for remaining committed to the task at hand. I know that many of them burn the midnight oil to prepare us for the next steps.

I thank our families for standing by our sides as we push forward.

I thank all the Kingdom Ambassadors, the prayer warriors, and the members of the public who pray for us as a Government, collectively or individually, whether it is in their private or public space. I humbly thank them because we all know that when praises go up, the blessings come down.

Mister Speaker, I want to encourage us as a Territory to continue to pray to the God of our forefathers that He may continue to bless and protect this Territory as we work together to restore hope and prosperity for all.

Come Wednesday, February 26, 2020 will make one year since this Unconventional Government took office.

We have done a lot in the short space of time, with God’s help. We have a lot more work to be done, and we are excited.

Our forefathers built this Territory forging ahead with what was in their hand, but their desire came from what was in their hearts, which was BVILOVE. This same love is what we must embrace to build the new BVI. Let us all therefore, have love for our fellowman. Love for our economy. Love for innovation. Love for entrepreneurship. Love for our Territory.

More importantly, let us remain committed to God for every blessing. 

Mister Speaker, I thank you.