Good day and God’s Blessings to everyone. As we continue to move forward toward reopening our borders to welcome visitors on December 1, 2020.

I extend greeting to everyone. Before I address the Quarantine Protocols Related to Health; as Minister with responsibility for Health and Social Development with the overall lead for tackling the dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, I am pleased to provide you with the latest status report on our Territory’s situation.

The Government of the Virgin Islands and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have pledged greater cooperation on post COVID-19 recovery, climate resilience and the sustainable development goals.

Business Owners who have been contacted by the Premier’s Office are reminded to collect their cheques for the Economic Stimulus for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Grant Relief Programme.

Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration Honourable Vincent Wheatley has said that the lay-off period for employees has been extended a further three months until January 31 next year.

As Minister for Labour, I took before the House of Assembly the Labour Code (Amendment) Act, 2020, on the 11th June, 2020 which extended the lay-off period from three months in total to a period not to exceed 31st October, 2020.

The public is notified that the “BVI Tourism Reopening Guide” is now available.

The Cabinet Office is notifying the public that Statutory Instrument No. 127 Imposition of a Curfew (No.37) Order, 2020 is now available on the Virgin Islands Official Gazette website at https://eservices.gov.vg/gazette/. 

Ladies and gentleman, the signing today of a Memorandum of Understanding between the British Virgin Islands and the United Nations Development Programme is the culmination of a gradual maturing of our relationship over the course of the last three years.

I am delighted to also welcome everyone to this high-level event. Friends, we are living in very challenging and uncertain times and it is critical that as partners we are working together as closely as possible to get through the COVID-19 crisis.