Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1), left, will hold talks with the Governor of the United States Virgin Islands, Honourable Albert Bryan Jr, right, and officials of his administration on Tortola on February 4, 2020. Photo: GIS

Premier Fahie said the Inter-Virgin Islands Council meeting is being convened to discuss matters of mutual interests. He said that it is imperative that officials of the two Territories meet as the policies and laws enacted by their respective Governments significantly impact the lives of the people of the Virgin Islands, on either side.  

The Premier said, “It is important that we coordinate our policies because we are two distinctly different Territories, under different Governance systems with one people, sharing the same waters.”

“As Virgin Islanders, we are innovators and have the ability to work together in unison to find solutions and innovative strategies to protect our boarders, and market our tourism industries,” Premier Fahie added.

The Inter Virgin Islands Council is the formal side of the BVI-USVI relationship and brings together the Premier of the [British] Virgin Islands and the Governor of the US Virgin Islands as Co-chairs of the council. Government officials and policymakers and their counterparts will explore different ways to work together to find solutions to various problems, and introduce initiatives designed to improve the quality of life for the people of the two Territories.

The Premier further stated that his Government’s commitment to hold these talks reaffirms its commitment to strengthening regional and international relations, as well as maintaining its close ties with the USVI.

Initiatives up for discussion include: Coordination on pre-cautionary measures on the Coronavirus, Air traffic coordination, cruise ship/cruise line coordination, forming and organising tourism strategies, airport and seaport development, joint marketing and public relations initiatives between USVI and VI, fishing matters, inter-territorial cooperation between VI-USVI charter yacht companies and boarder security.   

The Inter-Virgin Islands Council was established on Saturday, May 29, 2004, after former USVI Governor, Dr Charles W. Turnbull and Chief Minister, Dr The Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE signed a joint Memorandum of Understanding. The council’s first meeting convened on St Croix in April 2005. This is the council’s first meeting since both Territories were damaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017.