186 HLSCC students including a record high, 33 from the Virgin Gorda based campus, the largest number in the history of HLSCC, graduated with various degrees and certificates when the college hosted its 20th graduation exercises on June 13, 2013. Another 18 students graduated from the United Kingdom based Chartered Management Institute programme available through the college.
More from Sean Rose
Potential Investors for Prospect Reef, Beef Island [VIDEO]
Coming out of discussions with government to increase hotel accommodations in the BVI, Premier and Tourism Minister Dr. D. Orlando Smith says potential investors are targeting Prospect Reef and Beef Island.
The Premier was speaking on his recent trip to Brazil and Asia, during Government’s on the road community meeting in Virgin Gorda last month.
The Premier said, despite a fall off in visitor arrivals within recent years, increased promotions have led to improved arrival rates for hotel occupancy rates and day sailing activities
Proposed Fee Increases, Concession and Developments for National Parks [VIDEO]
The Concession and Fees committee of the National Parks Trust is currently reviewing fees to BVI National Parks, where the payment of entry fees are required.
Chairman of the National Parks Trust, Sheila Brathwaite and Director of the Trust Joseph Smith Abbott have confirmed in an interview with JTV NEWS.
Currently, visitors to the territory are required to pay a $3.00 fee to enter the J.R. O’Neal Botanical Gardens, Sage Mountain and the Baths. BVI residents don’t pay to enter the Baths but do pay a $1.00 entry fee for both the Botanical Gardens and Sage Mountain. Chairman of the National Parks Trust says the Concession and Fees committee are looking at both entry fee and persons operating businesses at the various parks.
The annual subvention from government to help finance the operations of the Trust have been reduced from $406,000 to $365,000. Brathwaite says the Trust is now tasked with being self-sufficient and the proposed increases are geared to help with the upkeep of the parks and also make it viable for the Trust to operate.
Conceptual designs for a Smugglers Cove development project, presented at a public meeting, on May 23rd at the Carrot Bay Community Centre, forged a partnership approach between the two main political parties - VIP and NDP. Opposition member for the First District, Andrew Fahie hosted the town hall meeting in collaboration with Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering.
Fahie, chaired the meeting, and urged his constituents to be actively involved in shaping the project. The opposition member pointed out that he had little information about project except for an opportunity in 2012 to view the early stages of the planning process.
The proposed development comes amid concerns about any large scale commercialization of the beach area and the likely environmental impact. In January, 2010, the VIP administration paid $6.5M for 11 acres of land surrounding Smugglers Cove Beach, formerly owned by the Romney family. The design phases of the project began last year as government moved to resolve issues related to commercial activities in the area.
Premier and Minister of Finance Dr. D. Orlando Smith along with other UK Overseas Territories Leaders were invited to two meetings in London on June 15 and 16, by UK Prime Minister David Cameron on the eve of the G8 summit.
The meetings are expected are to foster discussions on tax, trade and transparency; the key themes of the forthcoming G8 summit, and involve a range of stakeholders including representatives from Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies.
Cameron has warned overseas territories and Crown dependencies that he will make tax avoidance a priority of the G8 summit. The meeting with the Overseas Territories and Crown dependencies will be held on the two days before the G8 Summit, which is set to be held in Northern Ireland on June 17 and 18.
The UK Prime Minister is pushing for all overseas territories and dependencies to commit to automatic tax information exchange by signing the Multilateral Convention Agreement prior to the G8 meeting.
