Premier of the Virgin Islands
The Premier of the Virgin Islands[1] is the head of government for the British Virgin Islands. As a British Overseas Territory, the Premier is appointed by the Governor on behalf of the British monarch, currently King Charles III.[2] Until 2007, the head of government was known as the Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands, but a constitutional change in 2007 renamed the position as Premier.[3]
| Premier of the Virgin Islands | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Style | The Honourable |
| Appointer | Governor of the Virgin Islands |
| Term length | At the governor's pleasure Normally 4 years |
| Formation | 14 April 1967 |
| First holder | Hamilton Lavity Stoutt as Chief Minister |
| Website | Office of the Premier |
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The current Premier is Natalio Wheatley. He is serving since 5 May 2022.[4]
History of the office
editSince the 1967 constitution was adopted, only seven different people (all men) have served as Premier or Chief Minister. Prior to 1967, executive power in the British Virgin Islands was held by the British appointed Commissioner of the Virgin Islands, advised by the partially-elected Legislative Council. In 1967, the Virgin Islands Constitution Order was passed in order to introduce ministerial governance to the colony. The office of Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands was created for the leader of the largest elected party in the new Legislative Assembly. The Chief Minister would be appointed by the Administrator (later Governor of the Virgin Islands).[5] H. Lavity Stoutt has won the most general elections of any leader (he won five),[6] followed by Orlando Smith (three).[7]
During negotiations for the 2007 constitutional reforms, there were proposals that the Premier would chair the Cabinet of the British Virgin Islands with the Governor only being advised and provided information about meetings. However, due to internal disagreements within the BVI party, it was instead agreed that the Premier would be just an ordinary member of the Cabinet while the Governor would be the non-voting chairman.[8]
List
edit(Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office)
| UP VIDP VIP NDP | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Term of office[a] | Political party | Elected | Notes | ||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| Chief Ministers (1967–2007) | ||||||||
| 1 |  |
H. Lavity Stoutt (1929–1995) |
14 April 1967 | 2 June 1971 | 4 years, 49 days | United Party | 1967 | First tenure |
| 2 | |
Willard Wheatley (1915–1997) |
2 June 1971 | 12 November 1979 | 8 years, 163 days | VI Democratic Party | 1971 1975 |
|
| (2) | United Party[b] | |||||||
| (1) | |
H. Lavity Stoutt (1929–1995) |
12 November 1979 | 11 November 1983 | 3 years, 364 days | Virgin Islands Party | 1979 | Second tenure |
| 3 | |
Cyril Romney (1931–2007) |
11 November 1983 | 17 November 1986 | 3 years, 6 days | United Party | 1983 | |
| (1) | |
H. Lavity Stoutt (1929–1995) |
17 November 1986 | 14 May 1995 | 8 years, 178 days | Virgin Islands Party | 1986 1990 1995 |
Third tenure. Died in office |
| 4 | .jpg) |
Ralph T. O'Neal (1933–2019) |
15 May 1995 | 17 June 2003 | 8 years, 33 days | Virgin Islands Party | 1999 | |
| 5 | .jpg) |
D. Orlando Smith (born 1944) |
17 June 2003 | 23 August 2007 | 4 years, 67 days | National Democratic Party | 2003 | |
| Premiers (2007–present) | ||||||||
| 1 | |
Ralph T. O'Neal (1933–2019) |
23 August 2007 | 9 November 2011 | 4 years, 78 days | Virgin Islands Party | 2007 | |
| 2 | |
D. Orlando Smith (born 1944) |
9 November 2011 | 25 February 2019 | 7 years, 108 days | National Democratic Party | 2011 2015 |
|
| 3 |  |
Andrew Fahie (born 1970) |
26 February 2019 | 5 May 2022 | 3 years, 69 days | Virgin Islands Party | 2019 | |
| 4 | .jpg) |
Natalio Wheatley (born 1980) |
5 May 2022 | Incumbent | 4 years, 60 days | Virgin Islands Party | 2023 | |
All previous Chief Ministers or Premiers have served at least two terms except for Cyril Romney and Andrew Fahie.
| № | Name | General Election victories |
Total time in office (days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lavity Stoutt | 5 | 6,117 |
| 2 | Ralph O'Neal | 2 | 4,494 |
| 3 | Orlando Smith | 3 | 4,194 |
| 4 | Willard Wheatley | 2 | 3,085 |
| 5 | Andrew Fahie | 1 | 1,164 |
| 6 | Cyril Romney | 1 | 1,055 |
| 7 | Natalio Wheatley | 1 | 1,521 |
See also
editNotes
edit- ↑ Duration of terms are calculated as commencing on the date of the election; not the actual subsequent date of appointment by the Governor, which is usually a few days later.
- ↑ Wheatley led a coalition of himself plus the VI Democratic Party in the 1971 election and then another coalition of himself plus the United Party in the 1975 election.
References
edit- ↑ While the territory is commonly known as the 'British Virgin Islands', her official name is simply 'Virgin Islands'.
- ↑ The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 Archived 22 July 2009 at the Wayback Machine (SI 2007/1678)
- ↑ The Virgin Islands (Constitution) Order 1976 Archived 2009-05-03 at the Wayback Machine (SI 1976/2145), as amended by 1979/1603, 1982/151, 1991/2871 and 1994/1638
- ↑ "Dr Wheatley sworn in as Premier! New cross-party gov't also installed". BVINews. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
- ↑ "Britis Virgin Islands Commission of Inquiry" (PDF). Governor of the British Virgin Islands. Retrieved 1 May 2026.
- ↑ "OBITUARY : H. Lavity Stoutt". The Independent. 22 May 1995. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
- ↑ "Absolute abhorrence! Dr Smith blasts Fahie's alleged actions". BVI News. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 21 April 2026.
- ↑ "Who betrayed BVI in 2007 Constitution talks?". BVI News. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2026.