Governor John Rankin chaired Cabinet meetings on Dec. 14 and 15, and then-acting Governor David Archer Jr. chaired another on Dec. 20. All members were present at all meetings except Health and Social Development Minister Marlon Penn, who was on duty travel on Dec. 14-15. Members took the following actions, according to a summary published in the Gazette on Dec. 19.
Dec. 14
1. Accepted the Financial Investigation Agency’s 2021 Annual Report, 2023 Budget Estimates, and 2021 Audited Financial Statements in accordance with the FIA Act, 2003, section 15(1), and decided that the documents be laid on the table of the House of Assembly at its next convenient sitting in accordance with the section 14(5) of the act.
2. Accepted the BVI Tourist Board’s annual reports and audited financial statements for 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and decided that they be tabled in the HOA at the next convenient sitting in accordance with Section 14 of the Tourist Board Ordinance (CAP 280).
3. Decided to amend a decision made on July 29, 2022 and approved the renewal of the consultancy contract for Dr. Ricardo Wheatley as the director of BVI Hong Kong Office Limited for a period of 15 months commencing on Jan. 1, 2022.
4. Reviewed and accepted the evaluation report submitted by the Central Tenders Board’s Technical Evaluation Committee, which was approved by the CTB on Sept. 27; and
a. accepted the CTB’s recommendation to award Construction Engineering System (BVI) Ltd. the contract for the construction of a new social home in Little Harbour, Jost Van Dyke in the amount of $124,536.50; and
b. decided that the Ministry of Health and Social Development instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to vet the relevant agreement.
5. Reviewed and accepted the evaluation report submitted by the CTB’s Technical Evaluation Committee, which was approved by the CTB on Oct. 11; and
a. accepted the CTB’s recommendation to award Karen C. Vanterpool, Loren T. Walwyn and Erma Vanterpool-Butler — doing business as ATD (Attention To Detail) Construction — the contract for the construction of a new social home in Sea Cows Bay in the amount of $327,624.77; and
b. decided that the Ministry of Health and Social Development instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to vet the relevant agreement.
6. Decided:
a. that the government engage the services of BDO Limited through single source procurement for proprietary services in accordance with Section 8(3)(c)(I) of the Public Procurement Act, 2021 (No. 39 of 2021);
b. that ongoing management services provided by BDO Limited on the Beneficial Ownership Secure Search System platform servicing both the competent authority and corporate service providers be extended via a new contract for a period of one year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2023 (“SOW 2023”);
c. that the government enter into an agreement with BDO Limited in the amount of $1,098,505 as outlined in the statement of works, which is broken down as follows: $185,939 per annum for competent authority fees: and $912,566 per annum for corporate service provider fees;
d. that the Ministry of Finance instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to review the terms of engagement set out in the draft agreement in accordance with the terms of engagement; and noted
e. that the financial secretary should arrange for publication of the notice of the award of the contract and for records of the procurement proceedings to be maintained and made available in accordance with the requirement of the Public Procurement Act, 2021.
7. Noted the expiration of Joycelyn Murraine and Bevis Sylvester’s appointments as commissioners to the board of the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission on Feb. 19, 2022; and
a. approved Wendell Gaskin as commissioner to the board for a period of three years with effect from Dec. 14, 2022 until Dec. 13, 2025 in accordance with Section 7 (1) and (2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2006;
b. approved Julia Shamini Y. Chase as commissioner for a period of three years with effect from Feb. 1, 2023 until Jan. 31, 2026 in accordance with the same section of the act;
c. noted that the TRC will be responsible for the payment of stipends to its commissioners of $1,000 per month;
d. noted that within the coming weeks, the ministry will issue a vacancy notice for commissioners with a view to being compliant with section 7(2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2006 for a qualified person from outside the Virgin Islands who has a background in telecommunications services; and
e. decided that the Ministry of Communications and Works instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to prepare the instruments of appointment.
8. Approved two non-belonger land holding licence applications, as well as an encroachment compensation due to a government road-widening project.
Dec. 15
1. Cabinet considered and noted the status of the pending constitutional challenge to have the courts void the existing ban on marriage not between a man and a woman, and agreed that a referendum be conducted to ascertain the public’s view on same-sex marriage.
Dec. 20
1. Noted that the Public Finance Management Act of 2012 mandates that a Medium Term Fiscal Plan for the territory is to be prepared and updated as a multi-year document and that the 2023- 2025 MTFP fulfils the requirement stated in Section 36B)2)(b) of the law; and
a. noted that by approving the 2023-2025 MTFP, there would be no breaches in any of the ratios under the Protocols for Effective Financial Management agreed to with the United Kingdom in 2012; and noted that the compliance with the ratios despite strained resources indicates the government’s continued commitment to its fiscal responsibilities and to debt sustainability;
b. reviewed and approved the 2023-2025 MTFP and the outlined debt strategy;
c. reviewed and noted that the 2021-2023 Macro-Economic Review and Outlook is the accompanying supporting background document for the 2023-2025 MTFP;
d. decided that the 2023- 2025 MTFP, inclusive of any amendments made by the Cabinet, be tabled as the final document at the next convenient sitting of the HOA; and
e. agreed that the approved 2023-2025 MTFP be submitted to the minister of the overseas territories as a matter of priority.