UPDATE: "RDA Plan will be passed" - Premier Smith
Premier Smith made this disclosure on the morning of October 1, 2018 during a one-on-one meeting with the press.
Last week, September 25, 2018, the Governor of the Virgin Islands His Excellence Augustus J. U. Jaspert expressed disappointment at the RDA legislation not being tabled during the last sitting of the House, noting its importance in the territory's recovery and the part it plays in the UK loan guarantee.
Today, when Premier Smith was faced with questions as to why the plan was not tabled, he said the withdrawal was necessary because the government needed to have a further discussion on it.
“The plan was withdrawn because we needed some more consultation among members of government to understand fully the extent of the plan, the details of the workings of the Recovery Development Agency and the regulations which will govern the relationship between the agency and the government” Premier Smith added.
Hon Smith further expressed confidence that when tabled, the plan will have majority support and will be passed, "We will be taking the plan to the house at the next sitting which is tomorrow and I am confident that it would be supported and that we will have this plan passed at tomorrow's session" he said.
October 2, 2018 marks the second sitting of the fourth session of the House of Assembly.
See previous article published on September 25, 2018
Governor Jaspert upset over VI Recovery Plan snag HoA
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The much-touted Recovery and Development Plan continues to hit snags legislatively, to the extent that the document did not make it into the September 20, 2018, sitting of the House of Assembly (HoA), much to the dismay of the Territory’s Governor, His Excellency Augustus J. U. Jaspert.
Governor Jaspert expressed his disappointment during a “Chat with the media” earlier today September 25, 2018, at the Government House, Road Town, Tortola.
Disappointed
“I was disappointed that the government’s recovery plan was withdrawn from the HoA last week,” he told reporters in his opening statement.
He said, the plan prepared by Government involved a significant amount of work from public officers along with input from the public and wider stakeholders.
“The RDA cannot operate effectively without a plan,” Governor Jaspert stated.
As to why the RDA Plan was not tabled at the last sitting of the HoA, Governor Jaspert said, “that is a question really needs to be put to the Premier, it’s the Government’s plan.”
He said, while he has no vote in the Cabinet of the VI sittings, he does Chair and is well aware that the plan was discussed and agreed at the level of Cabinet.
RDA Plan
The Governor said that it was the government of the Virgin Islands (VI) that proposed and put forward a recovery and development agency.
“And obviously the House voted and agreed to back the government of the VI plan for the recovery and development agency and it is important that that agency has a plan and it can work and it can operate effectively and get our long term recovery going.”
The implementation of the plan, according to Governor Jaspert, is key to progressing to the next stage of the territory’s recovery.
“The plan is for the start of any discussions on recovery financing, putting money into the territory, getting money moving to projects and getting those projects delivering improvements for people across the territory.”
Saving Millions
He said, “it’s the start having those plans for discussions about the UK loan guarantee to enable that to move forward. The UK loan guarantee essentially with the plan can offer BVI the ability to get money into the territory at much, much cheaper borrowing rates saving millions of dollars for BVI allowing the recovery to move forward at pace.”
Governor Jaspert contends the plan sets out the long-term directions of the Territory’s recovery and despite there has being significant progress, “we have to move beyond the fixes that has been done to the long-term direction for the recovery…That is what I support, making sure that it has that plan, that has to be the government’s plan.”
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19 Responses to “UPDATE: "RDA Plan will be passed" - Premier Smith”
reactionary people. The witch hunt could be against anyone, but accusing a male of sexual activity is the big
no-no in the USA these days. Meanwhile here in the sunny and nice BVI, the Governors office is ignoring a
serious crime a few weeks ago which is being 'buried' as it doesn't look good for human relations across the
globe. But keep taking those American dollars, eh?