Premier and Minister of Finance, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley has pledged his support to the members of the re-established Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund Board.

A pleasant good morning to you all.  I’m extremely pleased that we are gathered today to mark the re-establishment of The Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund Board. I’d like to recognize the presence of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry responsible for Natural Resources and the Financial Secretary as ex officio members of the Board. I also recognize and warmly greet the non-Government members of the Board, including the Chairman Mr. Edward Childs, Deputy Chairperson Mr. John Klein, Dr. Shannon Gore and Mr. Ronnie Lettsome.  

Premier and Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Honourable Dr. Natalio Wheatley is featured as he congratulated members of the Second Board of Trustees of the Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund, as they received their instruments of appointment.

I acknowledge the protocol already established

My main focus here this morning is to say a brief word of welcome, particularly to you the members of the Climate Change Trust Fund Board for offering yourselves to serve this our beloved territory in this capacity.

Greetings to all who call The Virgin Islands home! Today, June 5, in honour of World Environment Day, I’d like to level with you about a serious addiction that is plaguing The Virgin Islands, affecting not just our environment but our health as a people. It’s our addiction to plastics. Just how bad is it?

Statement by the Honourable Melvin M. Turnbull

Minister for Natural Resources and Labour

Third Sitting of the Fifth Session of the Fourth House of Assembly

Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Honourable Melvin Turnbull is presently representing the B.V.I. at the 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

On the invitation of the United Kingdom  Speaker in the House of Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, young persons from across the Overseas Territories were invited to attend a special segment of the UK Youth Parliament sitting on November 4^th, 2022.

Today officially marks the beginning of a two-year climate change project to integrate resilience and ensure design and management of protected areas in the Virgin Islands. 

The Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund was established by The Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund Act, 2015 as an independent entity responsible for raising, managing, and disbursing funds to build our resilience to climate change impacts and to reduce our carbon emissions.