It was the Minister of Finance, Honorable Dr. D. Orlando Smith, who told the people of the Virgin Islands that the former Virgin Islands Party Government left the country broke and with a deficit of $51 million dollars, however money was found to pay the former Postmaster General ninety thousand dollars ($90,000.00), a year, on a two year contract according to this news site's sources within the NDP.

Speaking at the second House of Assembly sitting on December 21, 2011 the Premier told residents, “Madam Speaker, entrepreneurs continue to face many challenges including access to capital and trained human resources, adequate management skills and limited markets for expansion. That is why we are working diligently to re-establish a Business Bureau to provide development assistance to entrepreneurs, to foster the growth of the business sector and to encourage new businesses as well. You see Madam Speaker, there are many VIslanders who are keen to start their own business and as a Government we must do all that we can to support them.

Madam Speaker, we have contracted Mr. Kevin Smith as Business Development Liaison for two years to provide development assistance to businesses. Businesses will only thrive if they are given the necessary support to do so and we are pleased to have Mr. Smith on board in this capacity”.

Dr. Smith went on to say that “Mr. Smith, who sits in the Premier’s Office, has been vigorously reaching out to our businesses. Madam Speaker, he is overseeing the strategic direction of the programmes and activities of the business bureau. He is closely monitoring the global economic, social and other developments that affect businesses and is coordinating the requisite activities for identification and implementation of funding facilities”.

The Premier added, “Apart from coordinating assistance programmes for small businesses in terms of business start-up, technical expertise, training and counselling, business plan writing, and market and technology research, Mr. Smith is also providing support to the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs by assisting with the review of the trade policy and other legislative instruments related to the economic development of the Territory. We all have heard the relentless complaints about trade license processing. In short it takes far too long for BVIslanders to secure approval of their licenses. Where the license application provides the requisite information approval should be had very quickly”.

The statement went on to say about the new post for the former NDP 3rd District candidate that, “we believe that reviewing and improving the processes and procedures for obtaining trade licenses is critically important to ensuring the effective management and growth of small businesses in the Territory. The requisite legislation will therefore be amended accordingly”.

Mr. Smith graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance with Honours from the University of the Virgin Islands in 1999. He was Trust Officer and Account Manager with Citco B.V.I. Before resigning to seek political office, Mr. Smith was the Postmaster General of the Virgin Islands.

The Hon. Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. D. Orlando Smith did not disclose in his statement in the HOA the monetary value of Mr. Smith's 2-year contract.

The reported incoming Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mrs. Rosalie Adams could not be reached as of press time for a comment.