Madam Speaker, with your kind permission, I will now make a brief statement regarding the amendments to the BVI Business Companies Act, 2004.

Madam Speaker, with your kind permission, I beg to make the following statement with regard to the amendments to the Anti-money Laundering Regulations and Anti-money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Code of Practice that have recently been approved.

Hoteliers and other business leaders in the British Virgin Islands will hear about the recently launched BVI Forward campaign at a business connection luncheon hosted by the British Virgin Islands Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA).

Good Afternoon members of the media! I thank you for being here

Good morning! It is a real pleasure to be here today.

BVI House Asia has celebrated its second anniversary in Hong Kong and Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE is pleased that the Territory remains a trusted partner in the Asia Pacific Region.

The Financial Services Implementation Unit congratulates Tevin Skeete who is the winner of the Moving BVI Financial Services Forward Essay Competition which was staged to generate interest in the industry among 16 to 19 year olds. Tevin, a second year honour student at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College, is pursuing studies in finance and aspires to be a financial manager.

The Government of the Virgin Islands has enlisted the support of a team of community spokespersons who will help to raise awareness of the financial services industry and the benefits derived by the average person in the Territory.

The Government of the British Virgin Islands has officially launched its BVI Forward campaign, a far-reaching set of initiatives aimed at further strengthening the financial services sector and building greater awareness about the benefits derived from it.

A campaign designed to further strengthen the British Virgin Islands’ internationally recognised financial services sector and increase the awareness and engagement of its population in the process, will be launched here next week.