ST. THOMAS — A delegation of government officials and civic leaders from the British Virgin Islands will travel to St. Thomas to take part in activities celebrating the special relationship between the territory and the B.V.I., Government House announced today.
The public is invited to attend the affair, called BVI-SUVI Friendship Day, set to take place on Saturday with a “special cultural program,” according to Government House, from 10:30 a.m. at the Reichhold Center for the Arts here.
Governor Kenneth Mapp urged residents to attend Saturday’s program, which will include remarks from representatives from both the USVI and BVI. This year marks the 43rd official commemoration of the friendship between the islands, according to the release.
“Our islands are linked by geography, history and ancestry,” Mr. Mapp said. “Few among us cannot claim a family connection in the British Islands. We share many mutual interests and challenges and I’m encouraging even greater collaboration between our governments going forward.”
The territory’s leader pointed to a successful meeting on September 2 of the Inter Virgin Islands Council, where government officials and policy makers from the USVI met with their BVI counterparts to discuss ways to enhance the relations between the territories and to improve the quality of life for residents.
The governor in July appointed Shelly Moorhead as secretary general to the council.
During the recent IVIC meeting, officials shared information on responding to the Zika threat, maritime and commerce issues. During the meeting, Lt. Governor Osbert Potter announced that U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials had responded favorably to a request that normal visa requirements be waived for B..V.I entertainers invited to perform in the USVI; a longtime concern for the BVI, whose artists have had difficulty entering the territory to perform.
Tags: bvi usvi friendship, us virgin islands
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