Tuesday, November 24 – In a statement to the House of Assembly today, Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE revealed that the body could actually be the Second House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands and not the first to which it is now referred.
Premier O’Neal said he based his statement on representation made to him by local historians that in the Territory’s early history, there was a law-making institution called the House of Assembly.
The Premier admitted to doing his own research which confirmed that there is some truth to the claims of the local historians.
He further stated, “If confirmed by the Foreign Commonwealth Office I think then we will have to stop using the name First House of Assembly. I will seek to get their confirmation as soon as possible.”
The House of Assembly is the highest legislative body in the Virgin Islands, comprising a speaker, who is elected according to section 69 of the Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007, 13 elected members and one non-voting ex-officio member, namely the attorney general.
British Virgin Islands News