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NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL HOLDS FIRST MEETING
Monday, August 27 – In another historic step ushered in by the Virgin Islands Constitution Order, 2007, the new National Security Council held its first meeting at the Governor’s Office today.

His Excellency the Governor, David Pearey, chaired the meeting, which was also attended by the Premier, Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE and the Minister of Health and Social Development Honourable Dancia Penn, OBE, QC. Ex-officio members Attorney General Ms. Kathleen Quartey and Commissioner of Police Mr. Reynell Frazer were also present, as was Mr. Elton Georges, Deputy Governor, CMG.

The role of the National Security Council is to advise the Governor on matters relating to internal security. It replaces the security meetings which were traditionally called the Monday morning meeting and took place weekly with the Governor, the then-Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister, the Deputy Governor, the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Police present. The National Security Council is intended to provide greater sharing of responsibility for security matters between the elected Government and the Governor, who is constitutionally responsible for internal security matters in the Territory.

Governor Pearey said that, during the first meeting of the Council, all members expressed a shared resolve to effectively tackle all types of crime and other security concerns in the Territory.