On Monday in the House of Assembly, Premier Dr. Orlando Smith will move to establish a $25 million line of credit from CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank to provide “working capital support” for government, according to the meeting’s order paper. 

Legislators are also scheduled to hear inquiries from the opposition party on a diverse range of topics, including the Tortola Pier Park, BVI Airways and the Rosewood Little Dix Bay resort work stoppage.

The meeting will begin with a presentation of financial documents; yearly reports from the Town and Country Planning Department, the Complaints Commission, the National Bank of the Virgin Islands and the BVI Fishing Complex; a notice of loan advances to the BVI Ports Authority Board; and the 2015 general elections report.

Opposition Leader Julian Fraser (R-D3) is to ask several questions and request several documents from government. His requests include the following information:

  • • a copy of the Caribbean Development Bank’s report titled “Country’s Procurement Assessment Report for the BVI,” which was commissioned in connection to the Tortola Pier Park project;
  • •  a copy of the investment agreement between government and BVI Airways;
  • • the number of belonger and non-belonger employees who will be affected by the work stoppage at Rosewood Little Dix Bay resort in Virgin Gorda;
  • • the number of leased spaces for the Tortola Pier Park and the monthly rental cost and rents collected from each of those spaces; and
  • • whether or not the Ports Authority is collecting the $15 cruise passenger fee and, if so, how much revenue has been generated from it

The premier will then move for the second and third readings of four bills: The Virgin Islands Deposit Insurance Act, 2015; the Financial Services Commission (Amendment) Act, 2015; the Financial Services Appeal Board Act, 2016; and the Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act, 2015.

Also during the sitting, Health and Social Development Minister Ronnie Skelton (R-at large) is scheduled to move to re-appoint John Cline as the chairman of the BVI Health Services Authority Board until Dec. 31, 2017.

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