Friday, December 28 – Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE, says the recent Government-related meetings in London resulted in favourable outcomes.
The Premier gave a report of his November 29 to December 2 meetings in a statement given during the Fourth Sitting of the First Session of the First House of Assembly yesterday.
The Premier said, among other things, that he and his delegation met with officials from Halcrow to discuss the Virgin Gorda airport project. Halcrow is one of the United Kingdom’s leading consultancies for airport development.
“The result of this discussion is that Halcrow is willing to continue to advise Government on the design and construction of the airport,” the Premier told the House of Assembly. He noted that officials from Halcrow will soon visit the Territory for further discussions as well as to conduct an on-the-spot inspection of the Virgin Gorda Airport.
According to the Premier, meetings were also convened with representatives of the BVI Tourist Board from London and Rome. Those meetings, which were held at the BVI House in London, focussed on budgeting and financing.
During his visit to the UK the Premier also said he held a meeting with Executive Director of the Caribbean Council for Europe Mr. David Jessop who stressed the importance for the Virgin Islands Government maintaining its contact with the European Union.
The Premier told the House of Assembly that other meetings were scheduled at different times with representatives from the Pobjoy Mint, the Executive Committee of the Friends of the BVI, Virgin Islands students in the United Kingdom, and the Cayman Islands’ delegation to the Ninth Overseas Territories Consultative Council meeting.
Members of the Premier’s delegation were Territorial-At-Large Representative Honourable Vernon E. Malone, Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mrs. Rosalie Adams, and Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Premier’s Office Ms. Najan Christopher.