13/09/17

BVI Remains Open For Business Despite Hurricane Irma

British Virgin Islands Premier Orlando Smith has reassured the business and financial services community that restoration of the territory's economy will be a priority in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, reports LowTax.

Smith said: "Many overseas offices have come together to support the British Virgin Islands and work out the best way of continuing to provide vital business services remotely until the British Virgin Islands is in a position to bring them substantively back on island. We are incredibly grateful for the contribution they are making and the efforts being made to help this part of the British Virgin Islands economy get back on its feet."

Smith noted that some offices belonging to the business and finance sector survived, as did the territory's Financial Services Commission, which houses other services such as the corporate registry.

The Financial Services Commission has also announced its online company registration portal, VIRRGIN, is now operating after being down following Hurricane Irma.

Work is also ongoing to address issues regarding legal and related services out of the territory, and the functioning of the Commercial Division of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, which is based in the British Virgin Islands.

Echoing Smith's comments, Lorna Smith of BVI Finance, the territory's financial services promotion agency, said: "The BVI's international business and finance center has been damaged, but key elements including the BVI Financial Services Commission have survived and are intact. We are working closely with our private sector partners to ensure that a level of normalcy is resumed to business services as soon as possible."