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Responding to what has been forecast to be a significantly higher than average hurricane season for 2013, Director of Disaster Management Sharleen Dabreo says the National Emergency Operations Centre (NEOC) needs strengthening.

Dabreo was speaking to JTV NEWS on the BVI’s readiness in light of two leading hurricane forecasters prediction of an active or extremely active 2013 Atlantic hurricane season, including 3 to 6 major hurricanes.

The 6 month hurricane season begins on June 1st until November 30th. As part of measures to prepare members of the community for the 2013 hurricane season Deputy Director at DDM Evanjeline Inniss says an awareness campaign will be launched on June 3.

The US NOAA’s National Hurricane Center in its 2013 Atlantic hurricane season outlook issued on Thursday May 23rd, forecasts an active or extremely active season this year.

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International Museum Day was celebrated on Friday, May 17 with a historical tour of Main Street, highlighting areas or cultural and historical significance and a transformation of the Sir Olva George’s Plaza into a traditional Virgin Islands market with local produce and traditional soups including pumpkin, fish, bullfoot and peas.

The day ended with at the re-enactment of the historical 1949 March that was pivotal in the restoration of the Virgin Islands Legislature. Sean Rose has this report

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Deputy Premier Dr. Kedrick Pickering and Grenada’s Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell along with Sir Richard Branson emphasized the need to protect the Caribbean’s environment at the Caribbean Challenge Initiative - Summit of Political and Business Leaders.

The summit was held on Necker Island, and North Sound, Virgin Gorda on Friday and Saturday May 17 and 18, 2013. It was attended by representatives from 15 Caribbean governments and 17 corporations all of whom committed to a $64 million initiative to protect and preserve the Caribbean coastal environment, and to access renewable sources of energy.

Dr. Kedrick Pickering, who holds responsibility for Natural Resources and Labour, welcomed the public-private partnership approach to preserve the environment.

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10 schools in the BVI will be redesigned and out fitted to meet environmental standards as part of a move towards a greener economy.

The work is being done through funding from the UK's Department for International Development (DFID). Local contractor, Ronnie Lettsome, who specialises in green construction has been given the lead role, by the Ministry of Education and Culture, to outfit the schools.

The pilot project targets public and private educational institutions selected from primary, secondary and tertiary levels.

Ronnie Lettsome has submitted smart and green checklists documentation for all public schools in BVI. He is also spearheading similar work under a PAHO led project, funded by DFID to improve environmental and safety standards at the Pogson Hospital, Sandy Point, St. Kitts-Nevis and the Georgetown Hospital in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

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The importance of the Disaster Management Act 2011, which received its second reading in the House of Assembly on April 30th, 2013 has been cited as important piece of legislation for the operations of the Department for Disaster Management by the Director Sharleen Dabreo.

Legislators sounded alarm bells in the house stating that the bill gives power to the Governor during times of a disaster and excludes the involvement of legislators.

DDM Director Sharleen Dabreo told JTV NEWS the Disaster Management Act 2011 is an important piece of legislation.

Following Premier Dr. Orlando Smith’s explanation of the “Disaster Management Act, 2011”, members of Government and the Opposition expressed concerns that the bill gives a lot of power to the Governor during times of a disaster and it excludes legislators from being able to play any meaningful role in addressing the plight of residents in times of a disaster. The bill was not passed into law; instead it was referred to a Select Committee of the House of Assembly.

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According to the BVI Electricity Corporation’s annual report for 2008, the company recorded a 42.9% increase in its overall operating expenditures of $62 million in 2008 - a difference of $19 million over the 2007 operating expenses which stood at $43.4 million.

The report tabled at the 9th sitting of the House of Assembly on May 14, (2013), which comes four years after the 2008 global economic downturn indicates that the price of oil approached $150 per barrel in that year, diesel fuel and later copper escalated and led to a cost of higher electricity in the territory.

The retained earnings at the start of 2007 stood at $24.4 million ending the year at $28 million but the retained earnings declined at the end of 2008 to $22.1 million. In 2008 the BVIEC’s operating revenue stood at $57.6 million versus that of $47.8 million in 2007.

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Premier Dr. D. Orlando Smith has reiterated the BVI’s stance against tax evasion, fraud, money laundering and any form of illegal activity while registering his support for the British Prime Minister, David Cameron’s agenda for the upcoming 2013 G8 summit.

Cameron has made fighting tax evasion and aggressive tax avoidance, a priority for the G8 Summit which the UK is hosting in June (2013).

Dr. Smith’s remarks came during his keynote address at the annual reception of the Caribbean Council House of Lords, in London on 20 May 2013, where he reminded the audience that the BVI has always met international regulatory standards. Dr. Smith’s remarks was also made on the same day UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, issued a letter calling on, “all the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies to continue to work in partnership with the UK”, to address tax information exchange and beneficial ownership.