Friday, October 6, 2006

ROAD TOWN, BVI: Getting the most out of international relations was the title of a successful conference for senior public servants and officers of statutory bodies held in the British Virgin Islands this week.

The day-long conference was coordinated by the BVI International Affairs Secretariat and the Chief Minister’s Office.

It was attended by permanent secretaries, department heads, and senior officers from all five ministries of Government and the Deputy Governor’s Office. The conference was also attended by the financial secretary and senior managers from the BVI Tourist Board, BVI Financial Services Commission, the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force, the BVI International Finance Centre, and the BVI Social Security Board.

Head of the Financial Services Commission Robert Mathavious delivered the main opening address entitled “BVI Position in the International Arena.”

Among other things, he highlighted some of the challenges that face the Territory as a leading International Finance Centre. “As the world has seemed to shrink, the number and scope of the issues confronting us has paradoxically grown,” Mathavious said.

He also told public servants that they must not see themselves as being removed from those demands.

“We must realise that visitors to our islands, and users of our financial services industry, will not tolerate anything less than the standards they get in the developed countries,” he said, adding that this puts the Territory under greater scrutiny.

“As we face that scrutiny we must constantly make sure that we are not found wanting,” he advised.

In her opening remarks Director of the BVI International Affairs Secretariat Lorna Smith stressed the importance of careful preparation, which will enable public servants to represent the Territory more effectively at regional and international meetings.

Among other things, the director said the IAS is about to launch a template of questions, which will be used to assist delegations from government ministries and statutory bodies in preparing for meetings hosted by regional and international agencies.

The conference heard overviews of the three most important external organisations that each ministry of Government and statutory body engages with. It also heard overviews of the three main challenges facing the ministries and statutory bodies in the field of international relations.

Discussion topics included how the IAS provides support to individual ministries, what do ministries need from the IAS, the importance of liaison officers between ministries and the IAS, and the importance of the network approach and how it benefits the BVI.

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