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British Virgin Islands Seeks Consultancy for Digital Economy Overhaul
The government of the British Virgin Islands (BVI) has issued a tender for proposals to revolutionise its digital economy. This ambitious project will involve the development of digital identities, ID systems, payment platforms and data exchange frameworks. The winning bid will be responsible for evaluating the current state of government agencies and the territory’s digital public infrastructure.
According to the tender released on September 12, the chosen consultant will report directly to the Permanent Secretary and collaborate closely with the Digital Transformation Steering Committee. The consultancy will be structured into three key phases:
Phase One: Digital Maturity Assessment
This phase will involve assessing the current digital maturity of government entities by identifying gaps and benchmarking against best practices. The assessment will cover IT infrastructure, policies, platform development and maintenance, service delivery channels, data management practices, and the digital literacy of government employees.
Phase Two: Strategy Development and Implementation Roadmap
In this phase, the consultant will develop a comprehensive Digital Transformation Strategy and an implementation roadmap. This will include outlining initiatives, timelines, resource allocation, prioritisation, risk management, and a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) framework.
Phase Three: Enabling Environment
The final phase will focus on reviewing the existing legal, regulatory, and policy framework. The consultant will propose reforms to align with international standards and best practices in data protection, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
The tender explained that this phase will also aim to promote innovation and growth in the digital economy while safeguarding public interest and consumer rights. Additionally, it will ensure that digital transformation efforts are inclusive and suited to the specific context of Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The consultant will also conduct a cybersecurity risk assessment and develop a comprehensive cybersecurity framework.
Health
Health Minister Calls for BVI Health Services Authority Chairman’s Resignation
A significant shift occurred within the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) Board when Health and Social Development Minister Vincent O. Wheatley requested the resignation of Chairman Ron Potter.
The reasons for this request remain unclear, and it has not yet been confirmed whether Potter has complied. Potter, who was appointed Chairman in 2023, succeeded Moleto A. Smith, a U.S. Virgin Islands resident who was also reportedly compelled to step down.
The Cabinet’s decision to remove Smith and appoint Potter was formalised in a document from the Cabinet’s meeting on March 8, 2023. At that meeting, the Cabinet decided to appoint Potter, a former Chairman of the BVI Electricity Corporation, to lead the BVIHSA Board for a three-year term, pending approval by the House of Assembly.
Smith’s removal, which took place before the end of his contract set to expire in July 2024, was not fully explained. The Cabinet cited Schedule 1, Section 3(1) of the BVI Health Services Authority Act 2004 as the basis for Smith’s removal. This provision allows the Minister of Health to remove a board member if they have been absent from three consecutive meetings without consent, become disqualified, unable to fulfil their duties, or breached their appointment conditions.
Further details about the potential changes at the BVIHSA remain undisclosed, and no official statement has been issued regarding the matter.
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