ROADTOWN Tortola BVI, June 11th, 2012 – Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, OBE is presently attending sessions for the 55th Meeting of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Agenda items include discussions for the OECS Economic Union, OECS Work Programme, Activities in Support of the Free Circulation of Goods, Commencement of Operations of the Economic Affairs Council, Report on the OECS-EU Relationship and the Inauguration of the OECS Assembly.
Under the 2007 Constitution Order, the Government of the BVI holds responsibility for external affairs matters as they relate to regional organisations like the OECS. The Territory is an associate member of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States since November 1984. Other members and associate member are Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Montserrat.
The Premier is accompanied by Assistant Secretary in the Premier’s Office Ms. Najan Christopher and is expected to return to the Territory on Wednesday. In his absence, Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour Dr. the Honourable Kedrick Pickering will act as Premier and Minister of Finance in accordance with Section 55 (1) of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007.
The section states: “If the Premier is expected to be absent from the Virgin Islands for more than forty-eight hours, the Governor shall authorise the Deputy Premier to perform the functions of the office of Premier; and the Governor shall revoke this authority on the return to the Virgin Islands of the Premier.”
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