CHRISTIANSTED — During the Government House weekly briefing, Communications Director Richard Motta said that Governor Albert Bryan is in Taiwan this week by invitation of the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs to further advance USVI-Taiwan Economic & Cultural Affairs relations, an initiative that was created in 2018, following the 2017 hurricanes.
While in Taiwan, Governor Bryan will meet with high-level Taiwanese government officials and key private sector stakeholders to create strategic collaborative partnerships and attract business between the USVI and Taiwan.
A key highlight of the Governor’s visit is the planned opening and establishment of the first Invest USVI Trade & Investments office in Taiwan to attract foreign direct investments into the USVI from Taiwan and the Asian Pacific Region.
The Invest USVI Office will operate as a public-private partnership unit for the USVI Government and private sectors. In the spirit of collaboration, the Taiwanese government will be providing subsidies to help and support the Invest USVI Trade & Investments office operation in Taipei, Taiwan.
While in Taiwan, Governor Bryan will also join members from the USVI public and private sectors in attending the 2023 Smart City Summit & Expo.
The Governor initially was scheduled to visit Taiwan in 2020, but plans were disrupted by the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Social Security stipend checks
The Office of Management and Budget continues distributing Social Security stipend checks with incomplete or incorrect mailing addresses, and residents who believe they are eligible to receive a check but have not should check the list of names that was published last week and on Monday, March 27, in the Virgin Islands Daily News.
Residents whose names are on the list should send their full name, the last four digits of their Social Security number and a complete mailing address to ssi@omb.vi.gov by Friday, April 7, 2023.
Residents who do not have access to email can contact the administrator’s office on their specific island to provide the required information at 340-773-1404 on St. Croix, 340-776-6484 on St. John or 340-693-4350 on St. Thomas
Residents who submit the information electronically are being asked to not contact the Administrators’ Office. Information not received by the deadline will result in the checks expiring and being returned to the Department of Finance.
COVID-19 cases as of March 27
- Currently tracking 17 active cases (4 STX; 11 STT; 2 STJ)
- There are zero COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Luis Hospital on St. Croix.
- There are two COVID-19 patients hospitalized at Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas.
- There have been 130 COVID-related deaths