Road Town,  Tortola - The Archives and Records Management Unit under the Deputy Governor’s Office will celebrate Archives, Records and Information Week from April 12-16 under the theme, Archives: A Resource for National Development.

The Archives and Records Management Unit has planned a number of activities beginning today with the Acting Governor Mrs. V. Inez Archibald declaring the week open with a radio address at 8:15 am on ZBVI Radio 780 AM. 

Highlight of the  week will also include  the opening of the Old Pictures Exhibition on April 12 at 5pm at the Old Sugar Works Estate Museum; on April 13, the viewing of a video entitled, “Protecting Records from Mould” at the Archives and Records Management Unit between 10am and 4:30pm and on April 14 a workshop entitled, “Exploring Biography Writing” will be held in conference room number three at  the Central Administration Building for persons interested in participating in the Deputy Governor’s History Research Awards Programme. The rules and regulations which govern the programme will also be distributed and discussed at that time. On April 15  a book launch of a special collection of rare Virgin Islands photographs entitled, 'Snapshots of the Past'  will be held at Government House at 5pm and the week concludes with an open house and book signing at the Archives Unit on April 16.

Chief Records Management Officer Mrs. Verna Penn Moll told the Department of Information and Public Relations that the Archives and Records Management Unit’s main concern is with the production and management of records and files.

She added, “There is an integral relationship between Archives and Government efficiency, and for a holistic national development.  Talks and messages will centre around and reinforce the theme and will illustrate how archives and records management is necessary in government administration for efficiency, transparency, authenticity and relevance.  They will show that archives are an invaluable resource for all the sections of national development, which include development planning, cultural growth, economic progress, educational success, research and scientific discovery, heritage and national identity.”

Records and Information Management Day was first observed in 1995 by the American Records Management Association as a day to focus public attention on the importance of records and information management as well as advocating the passage of the Paperwork Reduction Act.  The day was expanded to a week in 1997 and to one month in 2003.