STATEMENT BY MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND MEMBER FOR THE NINTH DISTRICT, HONOURABLE VINCENT WHEATLEY AT THE FIRST SITTING OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTH HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY

Residents of Anegada, Virgin Gorda, and Jost Van Dyke who wish to attend the First Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly are asked to contact their respective District Office by Monday, May 15.

Today His Excellency Governor John Rankin CMG was pleased to swear in Honouable Ronnie Skelton as Leader of the Opposition.

Following the elections held in the Territory on Monday 24 April 2023, the Governor has today received a letter from the elected members of the Virgin Islands Party, together with Mrs. Lorna Smith OBE, elected At Large Representative, that declares their support for the appointment of Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley as Premier of the Virgin Islands and for him to form the Government of the Virgin Islands in accordance with Section 52 of the VI Constitution Order, 2007.  

Democracy is a sacred trust. We all have a responsibility to protect and uphold democracy. It provides the legitimacy on which Government rests.

After consultation with the Premier and further to discussions yesterday in Cabinet, I wish to inform you that I intend to exercise my power under Section 85 of the Constitution to recall the House of Assembly.

Madam Speaker, I thank you for the opportunity to inform this Honourable House and this Community about the Effective Leadership Training Programme which commenced on January 18^th through a partnership between the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports and The Institute of Education at H. Lavity Stoutt Community College.

Madam Speaker, I wish to update this Honourable House on the successful completion of the ESHS Redevelopment project which signified a major investment in the infrastructure that supports education in the Virgin Islands.

Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to further highlight recent developments within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour pertaining to funding. The Ministry is in receipt of a grant from the European Union and their partners Expertise France in the amount of 927,890 Euros or approximately $965,000 US dollars through the Overseas Countries and Territories’ Resilience, Sustainable Energy, and Marine Biodiversity Programme - RESEMBID.

Madam Speaker, on Thursday 19^th January, The Honourable Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley during his recent official visit to the UK, signed into effect a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the BVI Government and the prestigious University of Southampton.