The history of legislature in the British Virgin Islands can be roughly divided into two: colonial legislatures in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and then a hiatus, followed by the modern legislature after the re-introduction of democracy in 1950.
The first Legislative Council of modern times was formed in 1950, pursuant to the Constitution Act, 1950. It had eight members, two ex-official members, two nominated members and four elected members. Requirements for standing for election included income, property, and a deposit (forfeited with failure to garner a certain percentage of votes). The four members were elected in 1950 on a Territory-wide basis.
In 1954 the existing constitutional provisions were replaced by the Constitution and Elections Ordinance, 1954, which expanded the elected membership to six, divided amongst five district seats (with Road Town having two representatives).
The 1967 Constitution expanded the elected membership to seven, with each district having a single representative. In 1977 the Elections Ordinance, 1977 expanded the number of district seats to nine.
Pursuant to the Elections Act, 1994, the British Virgin Islands introduced four Territorial At-Large seats in addition to the nine District seats, creating a total of 13 elected members to sit alongside the two ex-officio members (the Speaker and the Attorney General).
Following the new constitution of 2007, Hon. Roy Harrigan was elected Speaker to the First House of Assembly (2007 – 2011); Hon. Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe to the Second and Third House of Assembly (2011 – 2019) , and Hon. Julian Willock to the Fourth House of Assembly (2019 – present). The change from Chief Minister to Premier was also as a result of the new consitution of 2007.
British Virgin Islands Legislatures
Legislative Council
| Election | Years | Terms | Elected Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1950 - 1954 | First | 4 - Four at-large |
| 1954 | 1954 - 1957 | Second | 5 - Five territorial |
| 1957 | 1957 - 1960 | Third | 5 - Five territorial |
| 1960 | 1960 - 1963 | Fourth | 5 - Five territorial |
| 1963 | 1963 - 1967 | Fifth | 5 - Five territorial |
| 1967 | 1967 - 1971 | Sixth | 7 - Seven territorial |
| 1971 | 1971 - 1975 | Seventh | 7 - Severn territorial |
| 1975 | 1975 - 1979 | Eighth | 7 - Seven territorial |
| 1979 | 1979 - 1983 | Ninth | 9 - Nine territorial |
| 1983 | 1983 - 1986 | Tenth | 9 - Nine territorial |
| 1986 | 1986 - 1990 | Eleventh | 9 - Nine territorial |
| 1990 | 1990 - 1995 | Twelfth | 9 - Nine territorial |
| 1995 | 1995 - 1999 | Thirteenth | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
| 1999 | 1999 - 2003 | Fourteenth | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
| 2003 | 2003 2007 | Fifteenth | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
House of Assembly
| Election | Years | Terms | Elected Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 2007 - 2011 | First | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
| 2011 | 2011 - 2015 | Second | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
| 2015 | 2015 - 2019 | Third | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
| 2019 | 2019 - Present | Fourth | 13 - Nine territorial plus four at-large |
Chief Ministers/Premiers
| Election | Years | Person | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1967 - 1971 | Hon. H. Lavity Stoutt | Chief Minister |
| 1971 | 1971 - 1979 | Dr. the Hon. Willard Wheatley, LLD, MBE | Chief Minister |
| 1979 | 1979 - 1983 | Hon. H. Lavity Stoutt | Chief Minister |
| 1983 | 1983 - 1986 | Hon. Cyril B. Romney | Chief Minister |
| 1986 | 1986 - 1995 | Hon. H. Lavity Stoutt | Chief Minister |
| 1995 | 1995 - 1999 | Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal, OBE | Chief Minister |
| 1999 | 1999 - 2003 | Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal, OBE | Chief Minister |
| 2003 | 2003 - 2007 | Hon. Dr. D. Orlando Smith, MBE, OBE | Chief Minister |
| 2007 | 2007 - 2011 | Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal, OBE | Premier |
| 2011 | 2011 - 2015 | Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith, MBE, OBE | Premier |
| 2015 | 2015 - 2019 | Dr. the Hon. D. Orlando Smith, MBE, OBE | Premier |
| 2019 | 2019 - 2022 | Hon. Andrew A. Fahie | Premier |
| 2022-Present | Dr. the Hon. Natalio Wheatley | Premier |
Speakers Legislative Council
| Election | Years | Person | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1967 - 1971 | Hon. Henry O. Creque, OBE | Speaker |
| 1971 | 1971 - 1975 | Hon. Howard R. Penn, MBE, OBE | Speaker |
| 1975 | 1975 - 1983 | Hon. Ivan Dawson, OBE, CBE | Speaker |
| 1983 | 1983 - 1996 | Hon. Keith L. Flax | Speaker |
| 1996 | 1996 - 2003 | Hon. Ruben Vanterpool | Speaker |
| 2003 | 2003 - 2007 | Hon. V. Inez Archibald, CBE | Speaker |
Speakers House of Assembly
| Election | Years | Person | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 2007-2011 | Hon. Roy Harrigan | Speaker |
| 2011 | 2011-2019 | Hon. Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe | Speaker |
| 2019 | 2019-2022 | Hon. Julian Willock | Speaker |
Current Elected Members of the Fourth House of Assembly
| Year(s) | Name | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 - Present | Dr. The Hon. Natalio D. Wheatley |
Premier and Minister of Finance and Member |
| 2019 - Present | Hon. Kye M. Rymer | Deputy Premier and Minister Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities and Member for the Fifth District |
| 2019 - Present | Hon. Sharie B. DeCastro | Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, and Sports and Territorial Member |
| 2015 - Present | Hon. Melvin Turnbull | Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration and Member for the Ninth District |
| 2011 - Present | Hon. Marlon A Penn | Minister for Health and Social Development and Member for the Eighth District |
| 2011- Present | Hon. Alvera Maduro Caines | Junior Minister fro Tourism and Member for the Sixth District |
| 2019 - Present | Hon. Shareen D. Flax-Charles | Junior Minister for Trade and Economic Development and Territorial Member |
| 2019 - Present | Hon. Neville A. Smith | Deputy Speaker and Territorial Member |
| 2019 - Present | Hon. Carvin Malone | Territorial Member |
| 2019 - Present | Hon. Vincent Wheatley | Member for the Ninth District |
| 1999 - Present | Hon. Julian Fraser, RA | Leader of the Opposition and Member for the Third District |
| 1999 - 2007, 2011 - Present | Hon. Mark H. Vanterpool | Member for the Fourth District |
| 1999 - Present | Hon. Andrew A Fahie | Member for the First District |