Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said the Government’s new legislative agenda as laid out in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, was planned with COVID-19 in focus and a new perspective brought about by the pandemic. Photo: GIS/Facebook

Premier Andrew A. Fahie said while COVID-19 has created a delay in the implementation of policies from the 2019 Speech from the Throne, it has helped the administration plan with a new perspective. Photo: VINO/File

Following some criticisms from the Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8) that the Government’s Speech from the Throne lacked an action plan for real economic support, the Premier reminded that the policies coming out of all proposed legislation will address the economy, people and investors. 

Legislative policies will help people & economy – Premier Fahie

“We were able to bring forward a lot of legislation that will help the people of the Virgin Islands and that will help the economy… it's important to note that legislation is the overarching entity, but they are also policies that will come out of each legislation that will be numerous and vast,” Premier Fahie said.

Hon Fahie made the comments during an interview with the Government Information Service (GIS) shortly after the delivery of the speech by Governor Augustus J.U. Jaspert on November 5, 2020.

“We were able especially in June and within the last year, to past many legislation to help the people of the Virgin Islands, but COVID-19 caused us to look at some of the legislation that we are bringing again, that were not able to be passed in the House or brought to the House as yet, to look through a different lens, a more progressive lens,“ he said.

The Premier said moving forward, the Government’s strategy will take into consideration the use of technology as well as the health and safety of the people, in addition to future possible pandemics and its impact on work, school and how to keep the economy going.

COVID-19 & new perspective

He said while COVID-19 has created a delay in the implementation of policies from the 2019 Speech from the Throne, it has helped the administration plan with a new perspective.  

“Now we're bringing forward some of the legislation that we mentioned before in the last Speech from the Throne and the reason being as I stated, is that the COVID-19 created some delays,” he told GIS.

The Leader of Government Business further said that the delay has helped position the government to push more legislation and implement policies such as the e-government project to support the digital transformation of the public service.