General Elections 2015: 42 Candidates

In the 2015 general elections in BVI, which will take place on June 8, 42 candidates were nominated in total, of them 13 candidates from the National Democratic Party and the Virgin Islands Party, 5 candidates from the People’s Empowerment Party, 3 candidates from the People’s Progressive Coalition.

At the district level, 6 persons were nominated as independent candidates, and at the territorial at-large lecvel, there are 2 independent candidates nominated.

On Friday, June 5, there will be advance polling day, followed by polling day on Monday.

General Elections in BVI to be Held in June

The next general election in the British Virgin Islands is set on June 8, a proclamation was published in the Gazette on May 7. The House of Assembly was dissolved on May 1, 2015.

During the general elections, National Democratic Party (NDP), together with its leader Premier Dr Orlando Smith, will try to defend its majority in the House and, in case of success, it will be the first political party in the jurisdiction ruling for 16 years consecutively.

The main opposition will be represented by Virgin Islands Party (VIP), which is led by Julian Fraser. Former premier and leader of the opposition Ralph O’Neal will not participate in the election 2015. There is also a party, newly launched in March 2014, which can change the final results and the political scene of the country, for the first time since 1995 – the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP), led by sitting member of the House, Alvin Christopher.

Report Issued on BVI Financial Services Industry

The BVI government commissioned the report on BVI Financial services sector, which was facilitated by multinational consulting firm McKinsey, with participation of the industry and other stakeholders. The final report named ‘Building on a thriving and sustainable Financial Services sector in the British Virgin Islands’ has the purpose to work out implementation plan to ensure the development of BVI financial services industry.

Premier and minister of finance, Dr Orlando Smith, commented, “For three decades we experienced tremendous growth in our financial services industry, became one of the largest domiciles for company incorporations, and established a global brand that reached through the Americas, into Europe, and across the Asia Pacific Region. Financial services directly account for over 60 percent of our government revenues, and likely upwards of 80 percent of indirect sources are included.”