1995 British Virgin Islands general election

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1995 British Virgin Islands general election
Flag of the British Virgin Islands.svg
  1990 20 February 1995 (1995-02-20) 1999  

13 of the 15 seats in the British Virgin Islands Legislative Council
7 seats needed for a majority
Turnout69.21%
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
Leader H.L. Stoutt Conrad Maduro Walwyn Brewley
Party VIP United Party CCM
Leader since197119671994
Leader's seat1st DistrictAt-large4th District
Last election46.54%, 6 seats8.04%, 0 seats
Seats won622
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 2New
Popular vote5,8103,2922,485
Percentage30.15%17.09%12.90%

Chief Minister before election

Lavity Stoutt
VIP

Elected Chief Minister

Lavity Stoutt
VIP

General elections were held in the British Virgin Islands on 20 February 1995. The result was a victory for the incumbent Virgin Islands Party (VIP) led by Chief Minister Lavity Stoutt. The VIP won a plurality of six seats, and thus were able to form a minority government as no other party or coalition could muster a larger number of seats. The BVI United Party (UP) won three seats, and the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) won two seats. The two other seats were won by independents. [1] Shortly after the election Alvin Christopher joined the VIP upon being offered a Ministerial seat, giving the VIP an outright majority.

Contents

It was the first election to be fought in the British Virgin Islands after the introduction of Territorial at-large seats. Lavity Stoutt had fought hard against the introduction of at-large seats, fearing it would undermine the strong territorial base of the VIP. After his victory he said: "The at-large system was a plot, a plot designed to derail H. Lavity Stoutt. Well it failed. The people have had their say. Their voice has been heard." [2]

The 1995 general election also witnessed the first ever female representatives elected: Ethlyn E. Smith in the Fifth District, and Eileene Parsons as an At-large representative. Eileene Parsons would later join the ruling Virgin Islands Party and become the first ever female Minister for Government in the Territory.

Former Chief Minister, Willard Wheatley ran as an independent in at the at-large seats and was resoundingly rejected by the voters, only winning slightly more votes than were recorded as spoiled ballots (265 against 232).

It was the last election in the British Virgin Islands to be fought prior to the death of Lavity Stoutt.

The supervisor of elections was Eugenie Todman-Smith. [3] The turnout was 68.8%.

Results

PartyDistrictAt-largeTotal
seats
+/–
Votes%SeatsVotes%Seats
Virgin Islands Party 2,12241.7645,81030.15260
United Party 79615.6713,29217.0912+2
Concerned Citizens Movement 1,03320.3322,48512.9002New
Independents1,13022.2427,68139.8613+1
Speaker and Attorney General20
Total5,081100.00919,268100.00415+4
Valid votes5,08197.415,05595.61
Invalid/blank votes1352.592324.39
Total votes5,216100.005,287100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,53769.217,73168.39
Source: Elections in the Virgin Islands

Notable candidates

Notable candidates who were elected to the Legislature for the first time included the first two women elected to the Legislature, Ethlyn Eugenie Smith and Eileene Parsons; and future Minister, Alvin Christopher. Conversely, Willard Wheatley suffered the worst electoral defeat of his career, and would never run again. Cyril Romney was defeated for the first time since 1975, although he would run again (unsuccessfully) in 1999. Longtime legislators Oliver Cills and Terrance Lettsome were both elected, but neither would stand again after the 1995 election. Lavity Stoutt was also elected, but would die later in the same year. Andre Penn was elected for his only ever term of office; Penn would later be convicted of sexual crimes involving children and sentenced to 12 years in prison; [4] and is believed to be the only elected official in the British Virgin Islands to be subsequently convicted of an indictable offence.

District seats

1st District
CandidatePartyVotes%
H. Lavity Stoutt Virgin Islands Party 48969.66
Andrew Fahie Independent19728.06
Harold L. Vanterpool BVI United Party 162.28
Total702100.00
Valid votes70298.04
Invalid/blank votes141.96
Total votes716100.00
Registered voters/turnout1,13962.86
2nd District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Alvin Christopher Independent19358.48
Prince MacDonald Stoutt Virgin Islands Party 10331.21
Leal Rymer BVI United Party 3410.30
Total330100.00
Valid votes33095.65
Invalid/blank votes154.35
Total votes345100.00
Registered voters/turnout54563.30
3rd District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Oliver Cills Virgin Islands Party 31353.50
Maxwell Smith BVI United Party 27246.50
Total585100.00
Valid votes58597.83
Invalid/blank votes132.17
Total votes598100.00
Registered voters/turnout70584.82
4th District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Walwyn Brewley Concerned Citizens Movement40766.94
Arnando Scatliffe Virgin Islands Party 17328.45
Donald de Castro BVI United Party 284.61
Total608100.00
Valid votes60898.38
Invalid/blank votes101.62
Total votes618100.00
Registered voters/turnout91267.76
5th District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Ethlyn Eugenie Smith Independent29151.50
Cyril Romney Independent27448.50
Total565100.00
Valid votes56595.12
Invalid/blank votes294.88
Total votes594100.00
Registered voters/turnout97361.05
6th District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Omar Hodge Concerned Citizens Movement27042.25
Roy E. Pickering BVI United Party 19430.36
Reeso M. MaduroIndependent17527.39
Total639100.00
Valid votes63999.38
Invalid/blank votes40.62
Total votes643100.00
Registered voters/turnout95567.33
7th District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Terrance Lettsome Virgin Islands Party 25971.35
Betteto FrettConcerned Citizens Movement10428.65
Total363100.00
Valid votes36395.78
Invalid/blank votes164.22
Total votes379100.00
Registered voters/turnout58964.35
8th District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Andre Penn BVI United Party 25250.10
Louis Walters Virgin Islands Party 25149.90
Total503100.00
Valid votes50397.67
Invalid/blank votes122.33
Total votes515100.00
Registered voters/turnout72770.84
9th District
CandidatePartyVotes%
Ralph T. O'Neal Virgin Islands Party 53467.94
Allen O'NealConcerned Citizens Movement25232.06
Total786100.00
Valid votes78697.28
Invalid/blank votes222.72
Total votes808100.00
Registered voters/turnout99281.45

At-large seats

CandidatePartyVotes%
Eileene Parsons Independent1,6758.69
Conrad Maduro BVI United Party 1,6188.40
Reeial George Virgin Islands Party 1,5958.28
Alred Frett Virgin Islands Party 1,4787.67
Neil Blyden Virgin Islands Party 1,4357.45
Paul P. WattleyIndependent1,3146.82
Earl P. Fraser Virgin Islands Party 1,3026.76
Merritt Herbert BVI United Party 9414.88
Inez V. TurnbullIndependent9224.79
Hubert O'NealConcerned Citizens Movement9004.67
Belsadys DonovanIndependent8524.42
Elihu RhymerConcerned Citizens Movement7934.12
Carl DawsonConcerned Citizens Movement7924.11
Medita WheatleyIndependent4702.44
Fletcher ScatliffeIndependent4392.28
Patsy LakeIndependent4392.28
Ulric Scatliffe BVI United Party 3882.01
Aubrey LevonsIndependent3841.99
Edmund Maduro BVI United Party 3451.79
Edison O'NealIndependent3411.77
Keith GeorgeIndependent3391.76
Willard Wheatley Independent2651.38
Stanford ConnorIndependent1470.76
Walter L. de CastroIndependent940.49
Total19,268100.00
Valid votes5,05595.61
Invalid/blank votes2324.39
Total votes5,287100.00
Registered voters/turnout7,73168.39

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References

  1. "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. pp. 114–188. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.
  2. "OBITUARY : H. Lavity Stoutt" . The Independent. 23 May 1995. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  3. "BVI election and information results 1950–2011" (PDF). BVI Deputy Governor's Office. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2014.
  4. "Andre Penn convicted on 11 of 12 counts". BVI Beacon. 5 December 2014. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015. Former legislator Andre Penn was convicted this week for 11 of the 12 sex crimes against a minor that he allegedly perpetrated between 2006 and 2008