BVI to use int’l connections to support UK after Brexit — Premier
Premier Dr D Orlando Smith. (BVI News photo)
The British Virgin Islands will be looking to use its connections with international partners in the financial services sector to back the United Kingdom when it exits from the European Union (EU) in the next few months.
Premier Dr D Orlando Smith gave that indication in a media release on Monday, stating that the BVI plays an integral role within the wider international economy.
He said: “As the UK approaches its exit from the EU in March 2019, the value of the BVI will only continue to increase in importance as we leverage existing relationships with key markets to support the UK as it looks to redefine its role on the international stage post-Brexit.”
He said he will be leveraging the BVI’s strong relationship with markets such as Asia and Africa.
Britain’s exit from the EU (a move dubbed Brexit) is among the things Premier Smith will discuss this week during a Joint Ministerial Council with the other leaders of UK Overseas Territories (OT).
The group is slated to discuss what Brexit means for OTs in the areas of international trade, the environment, development funding, and EU exit legislation.
The entire subject of the OT’s constitutional relationship with the UK will also be up for discussion, the Office of the Premier said.
“As the UK seeks to define its relationship with the EU we are, in turn, discussing how we ensure our constitutional relationship with the UK is fit for purpose,” Dr Smith said.
He added: “We are pleased that the UK government will continue to support us and are encouraged by the Prime Minister’s statement that ‘we will always negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family [including the Overseas Territories] and in the future relationship we will stand up for their interests’.”
Premier Smith further noted that his main focus in these joint ministerial meetings is to promote the role of the BVI in a post-Brexit world and to protect the rights of BVI residents as it relates to the territory’s constitutional relationship with the UK.
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would prefer an BVexit rather than the opposite.
Of course such matters are quite complex currently, and many are more privileged to knowledge and understanding of the inner complexities of political self determination.
However, isn’t Brexit a demonstrative example of self determination?
Hence, if self determination is good for Uk, why not us? ja.
Really? Do you think for a moment that the BVI is capable of self rule? The BVI can’t even recover from a Hurricane. The Territory is in ruins, buildings remain in neglect, roads are third world at best, electric power is on par with Somalia, crime is rampant on you want self rule? How? The government is billions in debt and all sources of borrowing have dried up. Please explain how you are going to self rule. The local population has no skills necessary to meet the daily requirements of operating a country. You import workers because you can’t or won’t do the necessary jobs. You are not Saudi Arabia that can finance their needs through oil. You need mom and dad to support you or you will be back in the Stone Age before you know it.
Such as was read, am in some disagreement with, and out of respect for another differing opinion, i respectfully salute your opinion.
Meanwhile, i’ll share a microcosm of where Black West Indians minds who are still not humanly, politically, economically and land free ought to be. For without the freedom and ownership of all three, you not even human in modern day context.
It is believed that no matter the limitations, of economics, infrastructure, education and other, we can rise to become masters of our own destiny. But first, we need committed minds with ideas, not complaining and defeatist ones.
One hundred and fifty years ago, our ancestry was left for dead, because there was no more profits to be made from Black labour and fertile land.But they rose!
We have come this far since by our own sweat, tears, pains, labour, and intellect without the help of those who profited heavily from our labour and misery. And since we have, we can travel the rest of the journey by ourselves.
Be reminded, up until 1960, we [our fore parents and their parents, parents, parents parents] were eating rocks for breakfast, lunch and dinner and washing them down with sea water. Where were the Brit for those 150 years of hardship? They were in Europe and the wider world investing their slave blood misery money. And still we rose!
Then, why should one [a people] continue to bow down to such people today, when one [a people]can do for self, and by any means necessary?
Only one that is afraid of the future or is lazy will think that he/she has to. Such minds are mere cowards who are afraid to confront their own future with their own cognisance’s.
In fact, it is only us that will fulfil our destiny.
Therefore, it is unwise to think that one’s enemy will do anything for one to achieve such.
A mind that thinks to the contrary is a foolish mind.
So whether we are considered capable or not, until we change our thinking from dependency and self ineptness, to we can do self, such thoughts will continue to fly in cyber space trying to convince others to remain, lazy, nipple suckers of the status quo.
All of us here are conscious of that, the BVI needs self-determination of course.The BVI sits on land 24 sq.miles smaller than ST. Croix. Grows what? Makes what? Can you compete with global yet alone regional economies, on tourism, financial services etc? What the currency situation will be like? Could brain drain be an issue? What about defence? Do you know that it would mean the premier will have to represent us at the U.N?. What’s the travel situation? Where will you need visas for a post independence bvi passport, It will not be maroon anymore. What about natural disasters? Have anyone seen a Caribbean map or a Google map image? Have you seen the size of the BVI??? An unbiased mind makes stable decisions. This isn’t about RACE and past or current situations it’s about sensibilities. A Channel Island set up would be best for the Virgin Islands. Where it operates the SAME as an independent country but keeps the citizenship, protection and international representation of the U.K.
The only requirement for political independence is the popular will do pursue it.
Japan has no natural resources…yet it is a wealthy nation.
I would let you ponder “Why?”
The citizens of the world have united in a collective sigh of relief! If anyone can save the UK during its current crisis it’s got to be our Premier!
Because, the UK doesn’t need to have its roads or schools rebuilt, they don’t need to improve the quality of their primary education, they don’t need to have reliable utility services, the UK doesn’t need advice on putting out fires, they don’t need advice on how to conduct due diligence in spending their money, they don’t even need advice on how to build million dollar walls around their schools.
Our Premier can “leverage our strong relationships with Africa and China” to save the United Kingdom!
Offstage: Could someone explain what our relationship is with Africa? I mean, my people from there but I haven’t met them. Are we going to have a big family party and invite the Queen?
Better yet, let’s have the party here and we can invite all of the secret beneficiaries of BVI Corporations to attend! I think that is who Orlando was referring to when he mentioned China and Africa – that is the people who have set up BVI Companies from these countries to hide their actual ownership interests.
I bet there would be a few global tax authorities interested in crashing the party. 😉
Orlando is still in bed with China. Which is now being led by an admitted member of the communist party of —. That leader m———– tens of millions of people.
@janice what makes you think that China is led by a communist? Lol
What’s wrong with that?
Their internet is faster than ours. Their roads are better than ours. Their schools are better than ours. Their dumps aren’t on fire. They have running water and reliable electricity.
Their elected officials who are discovered to be the benificial owners of BVI companies are likely to be arrested.
Better to use those international connections to help rebuild our little land, instead of trying to make token gestures to the UK.
Trust me when I say that the UK can handle its own business.
YALL COULD BARELY SUPPORT YALL SELVES……….
Is that a means of getting UK to look the other way instead of blacklisting BVI. Are dyou saying you are going to partner with Asia and Africa, the same countries who or the larger contributors to the reason UK want us blacklisted if we do not make the BO list public??
Well, keep on dreaming. Sounds reasonable in speech, but wake up and see the reality, pinch yourself and touch the ground. Sounds like a written speech and was just being read.
What’s next? After he retires, perhaps our Premier and noted Minister of Finance will offer a course on Due Dilligence at the London School of Evonomics?
(Remember he forgot to do the due dilly on $7.2 mil that he gave that airline)
Orlando, why dont you suggest to your UK counterparts to subsidise a container ship to regularly travel through the Leeward Islands exporting UK goods? Perhaps a more favorable import duty could be charged. Good for Britain and Good for BVI. All our imports come from Miami and that’s hardly just down the road.