BVI FSC Issued Statistical Bulletin for Q3 2018

Last week the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission has published the fifty-second volume of Quarterly Statistical Bulletin, where provided analysis and statistics on the financial services industry in the third quarter of 2018.

According to the information provided by the Registry of Corporate Affairs, which is responsible for maintaining the required Registers of Companies, in the three months ended on September 30, 2019 there were 9,575 Business Companies incorporated in the jurisdiction, which is an increase as compared to 9,126 BC’s registered in the second quarter of 2018, and a 25.34% increase compared to 7,639 companies incorporated in the third quarter of 2017. Total number of BCs on the BVI Register as at 30 Sept 2018 was 422,594. 99.86% of Business Companies registered in the BVI are Companies Limited by Shares.

There were 114 new Limited Partnerships formed in Q3 2019 - compared to 38 in the previous quarter of 2018 and 23 in the third quarter of 2017. As at 30 September there were 917 active Limited Partnerships as a result of the steady increase of their number. 

In Banking, Insolvency and Fiduciary services, there was 1 Restricted Banking License and 6 General Banking Licenses issued in the third quarter of 2018. Total Deposits rose by US$467,284 (27.92%) in Q3 2018 when compared to total deposits in Q3 2017 and by US$119,544(5.91%) when compared to Q2 2018. For BVI licensed commercial banks, net interest income was US$68,648 - this is 4.81% increase when compared to Q3 2017, and 46.97% increase when compared to Q2 2018. Also, in Q3 2018 3 new Investment Business Licences were issued, making total number to reach 411 at 30 September 2018.

According to the statistics of the Enforcement Committee, there were 53 enforcement actions levied; 1 administrative penalty, 4 public statement, 1 licence revocation and 2 strongly worded letters against licensees. More information and details can be found on the home page of the Financial Services Commission.

BVI will Choose New Premier, Political Parties are to Adhere to Code of Conduct

Political parties which will participate in the general elections in the British Virgin Islands on February 25, 2019, as well as the general public, are asked to strictly adhere to the provisions of the Code of Conduct. According to the statement of the BVI government, “The Code of Conduct now exists for political parties and candidates with the 2019 amendment to the Elections Act now in force. The purpose of the code is to promote conditions that are conducive to free and fair elections, and a climate of tolerance in which electioneering activity may take place without fear or coercion, intimidation or reprisals.”

The code consisting of 11 clauses covers the following areas: politically-motivated violence or intimidation, prohibited conduct: conduct during polling period, announcements of results of elections and respect for media and journalists. 

During the elections, the new political leader will be chosen for the BVI, as Orlando Smith has retired from his post of the territory’s premier. Mr. Smith’s National Democratic Party (NDP) has fractured, opening the possibility for a new party, the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement, to enter the government after long years of the NDP and the Virgin Islands Party domination. The VIP also fractured after the 2015 elections: Andrew Fahie will lead the VIP, while Julian Fraser split to form his own party, the Progressives United.

The new BVI government will face many issues, including the BVI financial sector challenges and the possibility of being potentially blacklisted by the European Union and being subject to the recently implemented UK beneficial ownership rules.

CPA British Islands & Mediterranean Region Invited to Conduct Election Observation Mission in BVI

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region (CPA BIMR) was invited by the BVI Governor with approval of the BVI Premier and Leader of the Opposition to conduct an Election Observation Mission (EOM) to the British Virgin Islands in 2019. 

The Mission will observe political campaign, electoral administration, polling and other aspects of BVI elections against international standards, commitments and obligations, as well as BVI legislation. It will issue a preliminary report with initial results within two days upon the elections, and the closing result, which will include recommendations for possible electoral reform, within two months after the elections.

The mission will consist of six members, all of them from different countries, and will be supported by a core team of an election coordinator and two election specialist analysts.

CPA BIMR is one of the nine regions of the network, with its headquarters based in the UK Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Since 2011, the association has been organising short-term Election Observer Missions across the UK Overseas Territories including the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands, Cayman Islands and Jersey. It was also involved in election assessment during the UK General Elections.