BVI General Elections to be Held on August 20

Although BVI Offshore World usually does not inform about political news, I cannot ignore in my blog the event of the highest political importance - general elections, which are to be held in some days. After all, the results of the elections will have great impact on the economic development of the British Virgin Islands.

The general elections will be held on August 20, with the participation of the two major political parties of the territory. These parties, to which most candidates are affiliated, are the ruling National Democratic Party of Chief Minister Orlando Smith, which was formed prior to the 1999 elections, and the main opposition Virgin Islands Party of former Chief Minister Ralph O'Neal. There are also some several independent candidates participating in the elections. The parties will outline their four year work plans in the manifestos that will be released this week.

General elections in the BVI territory are held every four years. BVI Legislative Council includes 15 members: 13 are elected to four years, nine in single-seat constituencies and four at large. The other two members are the attorney general and a speaker. The Council members will be elected among thirty-five candidates that were nominated to run in the 2007 General Elections. In 2003, there were thirty-three candidates nominated.

There are 11,115 people eligible to vote on one of the nine polling stations operational during the 2007 General Elections. Each person may cast five votes – one in the district he is registered in, and one each for four-at-large candidates.