CDB Issued Regional Report and Economic Forecast for 2018-2019

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) said in its regional assessment and economic outlook report that the Caribbean region has grown a substantive rate over the last year, primarily due to tourism growth and hurricane recovery. Financial position of the Caribbean countries mostly remained positive, with decline of the public debt in the region from 67% of GDP in 2017 to 63% in 2018. Debt-to-GDP ratios fell in 13 borrowing member countries, and debt is still over 60% in 11 territories.

The Caribbean development bank forecast economic growth for almost all its member countries, with an average rate of 2%, noting that growth depends also in international trends. The CDB projected that Grenada will have the fastest economic growth in 2019, along with Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. It is expected that economic growth will continue in the British Virgin Islands, together with continued recovery from hurricanes of 2017. Business services, tourism, construction and agriculture will provide growth in most member countries.

BVI Premier Initiates Forensic Audit of Finances

BVI Premier Andrew Fahie announced that a forensic audit on the finances of the government is expected to be done within the first 100 days of the VIP government, the completion date would be in June 2019. The audit which will be conducted by an unspecified firm is not exclusive to the finances of the territory, but has the purpose to reveal the “overall status” of the government of the British Virgin Islands.

In his speech at the House of Assembly on March 12 during the swearing ceremony, Premier Fahie said that the “comprehensive forensic audit… will allow us an accurate assessment of where we are so that we can better manage the expectations [of residents] and build a strong foundation on which to build upon as your new government.”

New Ministers Appointed by BVI Premier

During the ceremony to swear in the new government ministers, which was held in the Government House, the new BVI Premier Andrew Fahie announced extensive ministerial reshuffling. Mr. Fahie is minister of finance, the portfolio of minister of health and social development is given to Carvin Malone, Kye Rymer is the newly appointed minister of transportation, works and utilities, Vincent Wheatley is minister of education, culture, youth affairs, fisheries and agriculture, Sharie de Castro is junior minister of trade and economic development, and Shereen Flax-Charles is junior minister of tourism; Neville Smith will serve as deputy speaker in the House of Assembly, and will occasionally fill in as a junior minister or minister.

The BVI government announced that Dr. Wheatley was sworn in as deputy premier for a period of three months. During the first year, every three months Mr. Fahie will appoint different minister to this position to provide necessary experience to the leaders. According to the government press release, after the first year someone will take this post permanently. 

Reorganization also includes the responsibility for telecommunications, ports and airports taken by the Premier’s Office, and responsibility for immigration taken by the newly formed Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration. Among other changes there is moving of the Department of Agriculture and the Conservation and Fisheries Department from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour to the newly renamed Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture.

General Elections Won by VIP, Andrew Fahie Sworn as New Premier

Andrew Fahie has become the new Premier of the British Virgin Islands, after the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) has won the majority 8 of the 13 seats at the 2019 General Elections. On Tuesday, BVI Governor Augustus Jaspert officially swore in the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) leader as the Premier; now he is to appoint five elective representatives as government ministers.

The Virgin Islands Party won four district seats and four Territorial At-large seats. Those who received the seats from the party are Andrew Fahie, Kye Rymer, Dr Natalio Wheatley, Vincent Wheatley, Sharie de Castro, Neville ‘Sheep’ Smith, Shereen Flax-Charles, and Carvin Malone. Progressive Virgin Islands Movement candidate Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull, Progressives United leader Julian Fraser, and the NDP’s three elected candidates Mark Vanterpool, Alvera Maduro-Caines, and Marlon Penn received the other five seats.