Virgin Islands
A public and private sector delegation attended a conference in Tuscon, Arizona this month to promote the territory’s captive insurance sector. The delegation, which consisted of representatives of the International Finance Centre, the Financial Services Commission and three companies, educated participants at the Captive International Conference Association about the VI’s insurance regulations. The VI government was a “key sponsor” of the conference, according to a press release from the IFC.
Barbados
The Barbados finance minister said last week that the island will not “roll over and play dead” as attempts are made to blacklist the country as an unsafe tax jurisdiction. Chris Sinckler, minister for finance and economic affairs, said at a March 21 meeting that the country will respond in a “swift” and “assertive” manner to efforts by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation for Development to “blacklist” the country, according to a press release from Barbados Government Information Services. Mr. Stickler said the country will begin a series of face-to-face meetings with other countries to discuss tax-related issues.
Turks and Caicos
Airports across the Turks and Caicos Islands reopened Friday after a day’s closure caused by a “sick-out” staged by government employees, a TCI newspaper reported. The closure affected six major airlines and a private jet company, and was required because airport firefighters participated in the action, according to the Turks and Caicos Sun. The workers called the “sick-out” after the TCI government missed a deadline to reinstate full salary to civil servants, the newspaper reported.