Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) is currently away from the Virgin Islands (VI) from September 12 to 20th, 2022, to attend a regional tourism event along with the Funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II. Photo: VINO/File

The Queen’s funeral is scheduled to take place at 11:00BST (6:00hrs VI Time) on Monday, September 19, 2022, at Westminster Abbey, where heads of state from across the world will be flying in to join members of the Royal Family alongside Senior UK politicians and former Prime Ministers to remember the life and service of the Queen. Photo: Internet Source

The tourism event is the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s (CTO) Cayman Events 2022 being held in the Cayman Islands, which is a series of Business Meetings from September 12 to 15, 2022, hosted in a member destination to bring together CTO members to discuss and plan key items.

These events will be the first major in-person programme for the CTO since the start of the COVID pandemic.

While in the Cayman Islands, on September 14, 2022, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will also host Caribbean Aviation Day to bring together the top management of the airline and tourism industry in the region, as well as government ministers, aeronautical authorities, the diplomatic corps, media, among others.

“The objective is to discuss the challenges and opportunities of this sector and the recovery of the region, as well as the roadmap to enhance benefits of aviation in the Caribbean.”

Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

After the Cayman Islands' events, the Premier will then jet off to the United Kingdom to attend the funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

The Queen’s funeral is scheduled to take place at 11:00BST (4:00 pm VI Time) on Monday, September 19, 2022, at Westminster Abbey, where heads of state from across the world will be flying in to join members of the Royal Family alongside Senior UK politicians and former Prime Ministers to remember the life and service of the Queen. 

Meanwhile, Deputy Premier Honourable Kye M. Rymer (R5) has been appointed to act and carry out the duties of the Premier and Minister of Finance for the period spanning September 12 to 20, 2022, during the absence of Dr Wheatley from the Territory.

Honourable Rymer’s appointment is in accordance with Section 55 (1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007 which states, “If the Premier is expected to be absent from the Virgin Islands for more than forty-eight hours, the Governor shall authorise the Deputy Premier to perform the functions of the office of Premier; and the Governor shall revoke this authority on the return to the Virgin Islands of the Premier.”