Good day my fellow Virgin Islanders, I would like to take this opportunity to update you on Brexit on behalf of Your Government as we continue to keep you informed on the matters that affect you and these beautiful British Virgin Islands.

On the evening of December 5, BVI House Asia hosted its annual end of year event under the theme “BVI Festival for Christmas,” to celebrate the close of the year and thank the Financial Services Industry for its ongoing support of the British Virgin Islands as a jurisdiction. The widely attended event was hosted by outgoing Director, Mrs. Sherri Ortiz, and incoming Director, Dr. Ricardo Wheatley at the world class Murray Hotel in Central Hong Kong.  More than 140 guests and friends from the Financial Services Industry were in attendance, as well as a VIP delegation from the British Virgin Islands Government including the Hon Vincent Wheatley (Deputy Premier and Minster of Natural Resources & Labour), Dr. Cassandra Titley-O'Neal (Director of National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands), and Ms. Lynette Harrigan, (Niche Marketing Manager of the BVI Tourist Board).

“No one truly cares about your idea except you” was one of the harsh truths echoed by Dr. Dexter Penn to a room full of aspiring entrepreneurs and business persons at a University College London (UCL) Innovation and Enterprise event on  2^nd December.

Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development Honourable Sharie B. de Castro is representing the Government of the Virgin Islands at the 2019 Westminster Seminar on Effective Parliaments in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Ricardo Wheatley has been confirmed by Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie, to the post of Director of BVI House Asia, the Virgin Islands Government’s representative office Hong Kong. The appointment will take effect from 1^st January 2020.

It gives me great pleasure to be here this morning for the launch of this very important project aimed at strengthening our resilience as we continue on our recovery journey following the events of 2017.

Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands and Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley was in London last week to meet with international officials and various International Financial Centre (IFC) partners.

The Government of the Virgin Islands has announced that Mrs. Lisa Penn-Lettsome has been appointed Executive Director of International Business with effect from October 1.

My people of the Virgin Islands Good day and God’s blessings to you.  You would recall that approximately two weeks ago I led a delegation to London to discuss with the United Kingdom Government, its offer of a Loan Guarantee for Recovery and Development projects in response to the damage arising from Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.  Please note that the discussions were not about a loan, but rather about the conditions around the loan guarantee.

BVI Finance is hosting education sessions for the private sector in Hong Kong and London, as well as in the BVI, following the publication of the draft Economic Substance Code by the International Tax Authority (ITA).