Legislative Council Meets Twice In One Week
The 14th Legislative Council of the Virgin Islands had two meetings scheduled for this week. The first - the 13th Sitting of the 1st Session - was held on Tuesday and saw a full session of papers being presented, questions and answers, the introduction and first readings of several Bills and the second and third reading of another. The second sitting was set for today (Friday) primarily to release the KPMG Report on Financial Services in the British Overseas Territories. Tuesday's was the first sitting for new Methodist Superintendent the Reverend E. Lloyd Brissett, who said the opening prayers. That sitting was also attended by students of a fifth form class of the BVI High School, the members of a debating team that will be participating in the 50th anniversary celebration for the restoration of the Legislative Council of the Virgin Islands.
Chief Minister and Minister for Finance the Honourable Ralph T. O'Neal laid two documents on the table: the Virgin Gorda Airport Feasibility Study Final Report and The Virgin Gorda Executive Summary - June 1999 and S.I. 2000 No. 19 - Stamps (100th Birthday of Her Majesty The Queen Mother) Order, 2000. He also moved the Introduction and First Reading of three Bills. These were the "Public Holidays (Amendment) Act, 2000", the "Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2000" and the "Offshore Legislation (Delegation of Functions and Powers) Act, 2000". Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Alvin Christopher moved the Introduction and First Reading of the Bill entitled "Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2000". Attorney General Hon. Cherno Jallow moved the Second and Third Readings of the Bill entitled "Law Reform Commission Act, 2000". This Bill passed through the House after some debate and lengthy discussion in committee stage. The sitting today was announced by the Chief Minister early Tuesday. He was expected to lay on the table the Report on the Financial Services of the BVI, conducted by the accounting firm of KPMG. It was carried out in the British Overseas Territories and Bermuda and paid for by the United Kingdom government and the territories jointly.
The Chief Minister travelled to the United Kingdom earlier this month to attend a presentation where this report was published. The Report was embargoed until today (Friday October 20th), when it will be published simultaneously in Britain and in the territories. After the Report is laid on the table, it will be considered published.
"It is a large document; the copy that I was given is about an inch thick and in the Report, we have not fared badly at all and more will be said about that when I present the Report to the Honourable House," the BVI Leader said Tuesday. In relation to the Virgin Gorda Airport, Chief Minister Hon. O'Neal said the Feasibility Study Final Report is the result of having an expert look at the possibility of improving the airport so that the government, on taking possession, would be able to bring it up to international standards for a 19-seater aircraft. He pointed out that there were several notes of caution and warnings to be careful. "And so, we are taking our time." Hon. O'Neal stated that government has already made a decision to acquire the airport. "We do not feel that at this stage, an airport like that should be operated by private enterprise, because it is vital to the further development of Virgin Gorda." He said government wants to ensure that the airport can be brought to international standards and meet the requirements of both the FAA on the American side and CAA on the British side.
The BVI Leader, who is also District Representative for Virgin Gorda, told the House now that government has received the final report, negotiations can continue with current owners Little Dix Bay about the acquisition of the airport.