A Memorandum of Understanding surrounding the ease of movement of boaters between the British Virgin Islands and the United States Virgin Islands is expected to be signed in the not-to-distant future.
According to Premier Dr. the Honourable Natalio Wheatley, the MOU has resulted from discussions held during the recent meeting of the Inter-Virgin Islands Council which was attended by him and several other high-ranking public officials.
He said, “We discussed pleasure boating, charter yachts, day trippers, etcetera. We have come to some agreements in principle, there is a Memorandum of Understanding that we are going to be signing as it pertains to that… Certainly in the mutual interest of the British Virgin Islands and the US Virgin Islands, fairness and reciprocity and mutual respect are the principles that underpin the relationship between the USVI and the BVI.”
Premier Wheatley told reporters that he is pleased with the outcome of discussions at the council meeting and believes that governments will be better able to resolve some prevailing issues as a result.
The details of which he could not reveal at the time.
The Premier did note that the discussion included topics such as making the process of obtaining business licences and work permits easier.
While boaters are set to benefit from the MOU in numerous ways, the premier said that a reduction of rates and fees paid by boaters was not part of the discussions. Instead, he said that the government intends to “look at some of the provisions in that legislation that may have caused problems for boaters coming backwards and forward”.
In the meantime, however, he noted that boaters are still free to traverse the waters of the wider Virgin Islands as they have once for hundreds of years.