Hon Fahie made the remarks in a speech delivered at the handing over of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre- Secondary Division in Valley, Virgin Gorda on Friday, September 17, 2021.

According to the Premier, “Throughout the history of these Virgin Islands, no administration as a brand has focused more on its people than the Virgin Islands Party governments.”

Since the VIP Government took office in February 2019, it has focused on empowering its people and giving them opportunities for development, including scholarships for studies and placing qualified locals in high-level positions that have mostly been occupied by expatriates, including from the United Kingdom.

Hon Fahie said it was the Virgin Islands Party government, under the leadership of the late H. Lavity Stoutt, that there was championing of education for the people to ensure a robust education system is available in the territory and where all had access to secondary level education.

While touting health and education as two major pillars of a society, Virgin Islands(VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) said the people still remain the primary assets of any country.

Following its election to office in 2019, one of the first things the VIP government did was to repair the hurricane-damaged Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) L-Shaped Building, which was renamed L. Adorothy Turnbull Building.

Education a priority under VIP - Premier

He further said it was under the VIP that H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC) was established and highlighted that the Bregado Flax Educational Centre was established under Premier Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP).

Premier Fahie underscored that an educational institution on the sister of VG brought a lot of relief to many who had to leave the island to attend school on Tortola.

“This is one of the main reasons why the value of education is so embedded in us as a group, as a government, and our whole history and legacy of governments with the VIP,” Hon Fahie said.

The Premier sad even today, many of the VIP’s legislators were former educators, including himself, and that he has a commitment to his party’s obligation to the education sector.

Following its election to office in 2019, one of the first things the VIP government did was to repair the hurricane-damaged Elmore Stoutt High School (ESHS) L-Shaped Building, which was renamed L. Adorothy Turnbull Building.

This allowed for the junior high students to return to a more comfortable and secure location, with more learning hours.

And after a three-year halt that started under the National Democratic Party (NDP) government, 32 persons were awarded government scholarships to universities overseas in 2020.