Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Culture, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, said the late Honourable H. Lavity Stoutt was a great leader who was focused on the development of the people of the Virgin Islands.

Mister Speaker, placing Virgin Islanders at the centre of development activities through expanding access to educational opportunities continues to be a central focus of this Government’s agenda. The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) continues to expand its offerings through various Memoranda of Understanding. Today I am pleased to give a statement on three recent programmes in which the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) has been engaged.

The Territory is being reminded that this year marks seventy years since legislative government was restored, as it prepares to observe the 25^th Anniversary of the passing of one of its greatest visionary leaders, the late Honourable Hamilton Lavity Stoutt.

Residents are invited to participate in the 25th annual celebration to pay homage to the Territory’s first Chief Minister, the late Honourable H. Lavity Stoutt on March 2.

Cabinet has approved for a student and faculty representative to sit on the Board of Governors of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.

Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley said the step that Government is making to offer technician training in solar energy will better the lives of future generations.

Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie has stated that the future of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) is beyond imagination and that the Government of the Virgin Islands will continue to support the institution where it can.

Several students were given the opportunity to shadow a professional for approximately four to six hours on a designated day as part of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College’s Job Shadowing Week.

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to inform the public about the transfer of crown land to the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.

Eleven students have received support from the Government of the Virgin Islands to begin their Level 1 Marine Professional Training at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.