56.—(1) The Governor shall, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, by directions in writing, assign to any Minister responsibility for the conduct (subject to this Constitution and any other law) of any business of the Government of the Virgin Islands, including responsibility for the administration of any department of government.
(2) Without prejudice to section 60(2), (3) and (4), a Minister shall not be assigned responsibility under this section for any of the matters mentioned in section 60(1).
(3) The Governor may not confer on any Minister authority to exercise any function that is conferred or imposed by this Constitution or any other law on the Governor or any person or authority other than a Minister; but nothing in this subsection affects the power of the Legislature under section 71.
(4) For the avoidance of doubt, subject only to subsections (2) and (3), any matter may be assigned to a Minister under subsection (1).
(5) Where a Minister has been assigned responsibility under this section for the administration of any department of government, the Minister shall (subject to this Constitution and any other law) exercise direction and control over that department, including directing the implementation of government policy as it relates to that department, and, subject to such direction and control, the department shall, unless otherwise agreed between the Governor and the Premier, be under the supervision of a permanent secretary who shall be a public officer; but two or more departments of government may be placed under the supervision of one permanent secretary.
(6) A Minister assigned responsibility for any matter under this section shall exercise his or her responsibility in accordance with the policies of the Government of the Virgin Islands as determined by the Cabinet and in accordance with the collective responsibility of the members of the Cabinet for the policies and decisions of the Government.
(7) The Governor, acting in his or her discretion, may at any time request from a Minister any official papers or seek any official information or advice available to that Minister with respect to a matter for which that Minister is responsible under this section, and shall inform the Premier of any such request.