Madame Speaker, I rise to bring clarity to the recently implemented Fee Schedule for services delivered by the BVI Health Services Authority, and to allay any fears regarding our people’s continued ability to access affordable healthcare here at home.

Madam Speaker, permit me to present this update to this Honourable House on road improvement works, as this Government continues to improve the quality of the road network throughout the Territory.

Madam Speaker, the Water and Sewerage Department aims to provide a consistent and reliable supply of potable water to consumers in the Virgin Islands.

Madam Speaker, barring any unforeseen delays, projects under the National Sewerage Programme - East End/Long Look and Road Town, Tortola - are expected to be completed by the end of this year 2015.

Madam Speaker, members of the public would have noticed a flurry of activity taking place at the cruise ship dock area on Wickham’s Cay in Road Town, since the middle of last year, 2014.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to report that Government is steadily advancing works under the Caribbean Development Bank CDB Loan Funded Projects, to rehabilitate the roads, drains and bridges infrastructure throughout the Territory.

Madame Speaker, thank you again for the opportunity to make a brief statement to this Honourable House on the Scholarship Trust Fund. Government grants a certain number of scholarships every year Madame Speaker but recognizes that it is impossible to meet all the funding needs of every single person in the Territory, and hence the need for the Scholarship Loan Fund.

Madame Speaker, I rise to give this Honourable House an update on the Emerging Fellows Award Programme. The Virgin Islands Emerging Fellow Award is a grant administered by the Ministry of Education and Culture on an annual basis to young people, ages 10 – 20 who have excelled in various fields of sports, academics and the Arts who demonstrate a keenness to commit to excellence in their chosen area.

Madame Speaker, the Ministry of Education and Culture is preparing to introduce an Information and Communication Technology programme into the Grade 5 curriculum beginning Trinity Term 2014-2015.  The programme will be piloted for one (1) year and will be conducted in eight (8) public primary schools in the Territory of the Virgin Islands.

Madame Speaker I thank you for the opportunity to make a brief statement to this Honourable House on the restructuring of the Ministry and Department of Education.