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Since the restoration of democracy in the British Virgin Islands in 1950, only a comparatively small number of persons have been elected to political office. Although elections are held approximately every three or four years, the small size of the legislative body[1] and the tendency to return incumbent politicians[2] has resulted in a relatively small aggregate number.

Prior to the 1967 general election legislators were elected on a non-party basis. However, many persons who were elected in those early elections later went on to form, or stand for, political parties.[3]

In addition to politicians who were elected by popular mandate, various other political positions are filled by appointment. These include:

List of elected politicians

A total of 68 people have been elected to serve in the Legislature of the British Virgin Islands; 58 were men, and ten were women. Of those 68, twenty seven (39.7%) have only served a single term or less.

List of elected politicians in the British Virgin Islands[3]
No. Name Year(s) elected Party (ies) Offices held Notes
1. Anthony, Alban Ulric 1979, 1983 VIP Deputy Chief Minister (1979–1983), Minister for Communications, Works and Industry (1975–1983)
2. Black, Lloyd 1999, 2003 NDP Minister for Education and Culture (2003–2007)
3. Brewley, E. Walwyn 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995 UP, Ind, CCM Leader of the Opposition (1995–1999), Minister for Communications and Works (1983–1986)
4. Brudenell-Bruce, John Charles 1950[4] None First/only white person to be elected.
5. Christian, Archibald 2011, 2015 NDP Junior Minister (2015–present)[5]
6. Christopher, J. Alvin 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 VIP, NDP, Ind, PEP Minister for Communications and Works (1995–2003 and 2005–2006), Deputy Chief Minister (2000–2002), Minister for Natural Resources and Labour (2003–2005)
7. Christopher, Delores 2003, 2011, 2015 NDP Died in office (2018)
8. Cills, Oliver 1971, 1975, 1979, 1986, 1990, 1995 VIDP, VIP Minister for Communications and Works (1971–1975 and 1986–1990), Leader of the Opposition (1977–1979), Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Natural Resources and Labour (1995–1999)
9. Dawson, Ivan 1957, 1960, 1963, 1967 UP Member for Trade and Production (1963–1967), Minister for Natural Resources (1967–1971)
10. Dawson, Karl 2023 VIP
11. de Castro, Carlton L.E. 1950 Member of the march of 1949.
12. de Castro, Sharie 2019, 2013 VIP Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports (2022-present)
13. Fahie, Andrew 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019 VIP Minister for Health, Education and Welfare (2000–2003), Minister for Education and Culture (2007–2011), Premier and Minister for Finance (2019–2022). Resigned in 2022.
14. Faulkner, Theodolph H. 1954, 1960 Member of the march of 1949.
15. Flax, Keith L. 2007 VIP
16. Flax-Charles, Shereen 2019 VIP
17. Fonseca, Isaac Glanville 1950, 1954, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1967 POP Member for Works and Communications (1963–1967) Member of the march of 1949.
18. Fraser, Earl P. 1983 UP
19. Fraser, Julian 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 VIP, PU Minister for Communications and Works (2002–2003 and 2007–2011), Minister for Natural Resources and Labour (1999–2002), Leader of the Opposition (2015-2016 and 2022-Present)
20. Frett, Alred 1995 VIP Minister for Health, Education and Welfare (1995–1997)
21. George, Reeial 1971, 1995, 1995 VIP
22. Harrigan, Elvis J. 2007 VIP
23. Henley, A. Austin 1971, 1975 VIDP, UP Leader of the Opposition (1975–1977) Died in office (1977)
24. Hodge, Omar Wallace 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007 Ind, VIP, IPM, CCM Minister for Natural Resources and Labour (1986–1988 and 2007–2011)
25. Leonard, Edwin Harris 1954 Stepped down in 1955.
26. Luce Hodge-Smith 2023 VIP
27. Lettsome, Terrance Buckley 1963, 1967, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995 UP, VIP Minister for Communications and Works (1967–1971, 1979–1983, 1990–1995)
28. Maduro, Conrad Antonio 1971, 1983, 1986, 1995 UP Minister for Natural Resources, Public Health and Labour (1972–1975), Leader of the Opposition (1988–1990)
29. Maduro-Caines, Alvera 2011, 2015, 2019 NDP
30. Malone, Carvin 2019 VIP
31. Malone, Leslie Franklin 1954, 1957, 1960 Member for Trade and Production (1957–1960)
32. Malone, Vernon 2007 VIP
33. Mather, Stacey 2023 PVIM Deputy Speaker (2023–present)
34. O'Neal, Hubert 2015 NDP
35. O'Neal, H. Robinson 1967 VIDP Died in office.
36. O'Neal, Ralph Telford 1975, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 VIDP, Ind, UP, VIP Chief Minister (1995–2003) and Premier (2007–2011). Leader of the Opposition (1983–1988, 2003–2007 and 2011-2014). Various Ministerial posts. Longest serving member of Legislative Council / House of Assembly (39 years, 280 days)
37. O'Neal, Waldo E. 1957
38. Osborne, Qwominer William 1963, 1967, 1971, 1975 VIDP, VIP Leader of the Opposition (1967–1971), Minister for Natural Resources and Public Health (1971–1972)
39. Parsons, Eileene L. 1995, 1999, 2003 Ind, VIP, NDP Minister for Natural Resources and Labour (2005–2007), Minister for Health, Education and Welfare (1997–2000), Deputy Chief Minister (1999–2000) Joint first woman elected. First female minister.
40. Penn, Andre 1995 UP
41. Penn, Howard Reynold 1950, 1954, 1957, 1960 Member for Trade and Production (1954–1957 and 1960–1963)
42. Penn, Marlon 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023 NDP Junior Minister (2015–2019),[5] Leader of the Opposition (2019-2022), Minister for Health and Social Development (2022-present)
43. Penn, Ruth Dancia 2007 VIP Deputy Premier (2007–2011), Minister for Health and Social Development (2007–2011)
44. Penn-O'Neal, Irene 2007 VIP
45. Kedrick Pickering 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 NDP Deputy Premier (2011–20??)
46. Romney, Cyril 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990 Ind Chief Minister (1983–1986), Leader of the Opposition (1990–1993)
47. Rymer, Kye 2019, 2023 VIP Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities (2019-present)
48. Scatliffe, Arnando 1963 POP, VIP[6]
49. Scatliffe, Vincent 2007 VIP
50. Skelton, Ronnie 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2023 NDP Deputy Chief Minister (2003–2007), Minister of Finance (2003–2007), Minister for Health (2003–2007 and 2011–present)
51. Smith, Angel 1995 by-election VIP
52. Smith, Daniel Orlando 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 NDP Chief Minister (2003–2007) and Premier (2011-present), Leader of the Opposition (1999–2003 and 2007–2011), Minister for Tourism (2003–2007), Minister of Finance (2011–present)
53. Smith, Ethlyn E. 1995, 1999 Ind, CCM, VIP Joint first woman to be elected
54. Smith, Leopold E. 1967 UP
55. Smith, Lorna 2023 NDP
56. Smith, Neville 2019 VIP
57. Smith, Wilfred Wilson 1954 Member for Works and Communications (1954–1957)
58. Stoutt, Elmore 2005 by-election NDP Minister for Communications and Works (2006–2007)
59. Stoutt, Hamilton Lavity 1957, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995 UP, VIP Five terms as Chief Minister (1967–1971, 1979–1983, 1986–1995). Leader of the Opposition (1971–1975 and 1983–1986). Various Ministerial posts. Highest number of election victories (11). Died in office (1995).
60. Stoutt, Prince MacDonald 1977 by-election, 1979, 1990 VIP
61. Turnbull, Melvin M. 2015, 2019, 2023 NDP, PVIM Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration (2022-present)
62. Vanterpool, Mark 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2019 NDP, VIP Minister for Communications and Works (2011–present)
63. Walters, C. Louis 1986, 1990 VIP Minister for Health, Education and Welfare (1986–1995)
64. Walwyn, Myron 2011, 2015, 2023 NDP Minister for Education (2011–2019)
65. Wattley, Paul 2003 NDP Minister for Communications and Works (2003–2005) Died in office (2005).
66. Wheatley, Natalio 2019, 2023 VIP Premier and Minister of Finance (2022-present)
67. Wheatley, Willard 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983 Ind, VIDP, UP, Other Two terms as Chief Minister (1971–1979), Minister for Education (1971–1979), Minister for Finance (1975–1979), Minister for Health, Education and Welfare (1983–1986), Leader of the Opposition (1979–1983)
68. Wheatley, Vincent 2019, 2023 VIP
Main parties
Concerned Citizen's Movement (CCM)
BVI United Party (UP)
Independent People's Movement (IPM)
National Democratic Party (NDP)
People's Own Party (POP)
Positive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM)
Progressives United (PU)
VI Democratic Party (VIDP)
Virgin Islands Party (VIP)

Longest serving elected politicians

Twelve people (all men) have served five or more terms in the British Virgin Islands Legislature.

Longest serving politicians in the British Virgin Islands[3]
Number of Terms Name Years elected Notes
11 H. Lavity Stoutt 1957, 1960, 1963, 1967, 1971, 1975, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995 Five terms as Chief Minister.
10 Ralph T. O'Neal[7] 1975, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011 Three terms as Chief Minister/Premier.
Includes one uncontested election.
8 Omar W. Hodge 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007
7 Terrance B. Lettsome 1963, 1967, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1990, 1995 Includes two uncontested elections.
Julian Fraser 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, 2023
6 Oliver Cills 1971, 1975, 1979, 1986, 1990, 1995 Includes two uncontested elections.
Isaac G. Fonseca 1950, 1954, 1957, 1960, 1963, 1967
Andrew Fahie 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019
5 J. Alvin Christopher 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011
Kedrick Pickering 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015
Orlando Smith 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 Three terms as Chief Minister/Premier.
Mark Vanterpool 1999, 2003, 2011, 2015, 2019

See also

Footnotes

  1. ^ In the first general election in 1950 only four members were elected; this was steadily increased until in 1995 it grew to 13, which is the size it is presently.
  2. ^ For example, Lavity Stoutt won the 1st District in 11 consecutive elections. Ralph O'Neal won the 7th/9th District in 10 consecutive elections. The 3rd District has been won by Julian Fraser, his brother Earl, or his cousin Oliver Cills, every year since 1971. In five consecutive elections from 1979 to 1995 just under half the legislature was ever-present: Stoutt, O'Neal, Omar Hodge and Oliver Cills.
  3. ^ a b c "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. pp. 47–63. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.
  4. ^ Brudenell-Bruce was also appointed to serve an additional part-term when E.H. Leonard stepped down shortly after the 1954 general election.
  5. ^ a b "HISTORY: Christian, Penn appointed Jr Ministers". BVI News. 16 December 2015.
  6. ^ Scatliffe was elected in 1963 in a non-party election. He also ran unsuccessfully for the POP in the 1967 general election, and for the VIP in the 1995 general election.
  7. ^ In terms of time spent in the legislature, Ralph O'Neal is the longest serving politician in British Virgin Islands history, having served in the House of Assembly and Legislative Council for 39 years, 280 days. Although Lavity Stoutt has won more election victories than O'Neal, Stoutt served a shorter period in the Legislature because (a) he only served a small part of his 11th and final term prior to his death, and (b) during the early part of Stoutt's career, political terms were only 3 years and not 4.
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