Friday, February 22, 2008Surprise Surprise!

StaffElection 2007 Results

On Monday, August 20th, 2007, the people of the Virgin Islands went to the polls to elect a government to serve in the new House of Assembly. With thirteen seats, either of the two parties required seven seats to form the government.

The National Democratic Party, the country’s youngest political organization had won five seats in the 1999 election and served only one term in the opposition before capturing the government in 2003 with eight seats. As has been customary with Virgin Islands politics however, that situation soon changed and by the time the NDP presented itself for re-election, the party had suffered the loss of one of its representatives. While the members of this new brand of politicians remained committed to the promises made during the campaign process and outlined in its legislative agenda; attempting to ensure that they delivered an upgraded educational system, improving the infrastructure, cutting taxes, improving the image of the country in the eyes of the global village and starting the construction of the new hospital, the then opposition of the Virgin Islands Party spent its four years campaigning tirelessly to win back the government. Over the same four years, the NDP focused on long term planning and development, those issues required for building a solid foundation, but failed miserably to communicate this effectively to the people of the Virgin Islands. Many were left to wonder if this was the downfall of this one term government.

In the meantime, the Virgin Islands Party, established in the early seventies; embarked on what was coined “The small man’s campaign.” The voters felt that the National Democratic Party had lost touch with the people and their basic needs, that they had become detached and arrogant. The VIP, a group of mostly shrewd and seasoned politicians used this as their trump card. They touched the people’s spirit by addressing what they deemed to be their immediate rather than their long term needs. The now Minister of Education for instance promised free text books and lunches for the school year that began two weeks from the election date. One of the candidates promised to legalize and provide facilities for drag racing, popular among young people in the territory.

By late Monday evening, the VIP had already won seven of the nine district seats, recapturing the government, but no one was prepared for what was to come. On the evening of Tuesday, August 21st, it was declared that the Virgin Islands Party had won ten of the thirteen seats - the seven district seats and three of the territorial at large seats - winning the government by an overwhelming majority. The sole independent candidate, Mr. Alvin Christopher joined the VIP, increasing their majority to eleven. This left the National Democratic Party, the party that had won the election in 2003 with eight out of thirteen seats in the opposition with a mere two seats. It would be another day before the new Premier was named. Although there were doubts, Mr. Ralph O’Neal who had led the party for twelve years was sworn in as the first Premier of the Virgin Islands and a day later, a ceremony was held to declare the new ministers of the House of Assembly, a privilege that the members of the NDP negotiated in the constitution order of 2007. A week and a half later after much speculation on the part of VIslanders, the first Deputy Premier, in the person of Hon. Dancia Penn Sallah, QC was sworn in.

What is paramount in the minds of many now is what will happen economically in the Virgin Islands now that there is a new government with its own agenda. Will the investment policies remain the same? Will some of the development agreements signed by the previous government be honoured or will they be revoked? The National Democratic Party felt that to grow the economy required major foreign investments, particularly, as the BVI’s economy is based primarily on two of the most competitive industries of tourism and financial services. The now Virgin Islands Party however strongly believes, as stated on the campaign platform that the Virgin Islands can and should be developed by Virgin Islanders.

It is early yet to predict what the investment climate of the Virgin Islands will be over the next four years or beyond, but it is certain that all eyes are watching to see.

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