Governor John Rankin chaired a virtual Cabinet meeting Jan. 7. All members were present and took the following actions, according to a summary published in the Gazette on Feb. 10.

1. Ratified the product purchase agreement between the government and Premier Group; approved payment to Premier Group in the amount $304,432; and decided that all other terms of Cabinet remain unchanged.

2. Noted the contents of the National AML/CFT Strategic Action Plan for the Territory of the Virgin Islands and that the action plan provides a framework aimed at minimising the territory’s risks of money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing, as well as strengthening the national AML/CFT regime; and

a. noted that the plan reflects the actions to be taken by the territory to improve its AML/CFT regime and to ensure a high level of compliance with the Financial Action Task Force’s International Standards on Combatting Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation;

b. noted that it protects the VI economy against the potential negative impacts of ML, TF, and PF;

c. requested that the Cabinet receive quarterly updates accordingly; and d. decided that the action plan be laid on the table of the House of Assembly at the next convenient sitting.

3. Approved the execution of the memorandum of understanding between the government and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science to be administered through the Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration and Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, to replace the existing MOU between the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour and CEFAS; and

a. approved the execution of the activity sheet, which details the project arrangements for the deployment of baited remote underwater vehicles in the territory, in accordance with the seabed laws and regulations of the VI;

b. decided that the ECYAFA Ministry instruct the Attorney General’s Chambers to vet the proposed MOU and activity sheet prior to execution.

4. Approved an application to use the seabed for the installation of mooring buoys at Mosquito Island.

5. Approved two non-belonger land holding licence applications and one application to transfer leasehold interest in Road Town.