The UK's Role in the British Virgin Islands

Britain's 14 Overseas Territories, spread throughout the globe, are diverse communities. They range from the tiny island of Pitcairn with its 47 inhabitants, set in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, to Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, which both have populations of over 50,000 and are major world financial centres.

Further details on all the 14 Overseas Territories are available on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website.

The 1999 White Paper Partnership for Progress and Prosperity sets out the UK’s policy on the Overseas Territories.  The White Paper in 2006 expanded the set of Strategic International Priorities of the UK . The Overseas Territories Directorate (OTD), the Governor and the Governor’s Office are responsible for the security and good governance of the Overseas Territories.

Aims that form part of this priority are to:

• Improve the environment of the Overseas Territories.
• Encourage more economic diversity.
• Maintain a balance in the constitutional relationship, which reflects the rights and responsibilities of both the UK and the Overseas Territories.
• Manage the effect of new international obligations on the Overseas Territories.
• Minimise the vulnerability of the Territories to climate change, economic changes, international crime, natural disasters and other developments.
• Work closely with other government departments to fulfill the UK government's collective responsibility for the Territories.

 

Constitutional Status

The present Constitution came into force on 15 June 2007. The BVI is a British Overseas Territory with a large measure of internal self-government. The Governor has direct responsibility for external affairs, defence and internal security (including the Police), the Public Service and the administration of the courts. The Constitution provides for a ministerial system of government. The Governor is the head of the Government, and Premier, a locally elected politician, is appointed by the Governor. The position of Premier replaced that of Chief Minister under the new constitution.

The House of Assembly comprises 13 elected members plus the Attorney General and the Speaker. Nine members are elected to represent one district each, and the remaining four by territory-wide vote. The Premier and the four other Ministers must be elected members of the House of Assembly.


The last elections were held on 20 August 2007. The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) won seven District seats and three At-Large seats, defeating the National Democratic Party (NDP) which had been in power since 2003. Ralph Telford O’Neal OBE became the first Premier.