| Premier of the Virgin Islands | |
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| Style | The Honourable |
| Appointer | Governor of the Virgin Islands |
| Term length | At the governor's pleasure Normally 4 years |
| Formation | 14 April 1967 |
| First holder | HamiltonLavity Stoutt as Chief Minister |
| Website | Office of the Premier |
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Executive |
| Judiciary |
| Administrative divisions |
| Foreign relations |
ThePremier of the Virgin Islands[1] is thehead of government for theBritish Virgin Islands. As aBritish Overseas Territory, the Premier is appointed by theGovernor on behalf of theBritish monarch, currentlyKing Charles III.[2] Until 2007, the head of government was known as theChief Minister of the Virgin Islands, but aconstitutional change in 2007 renamed the position as Premier.[3]
The current Premier isNatalio Wheatley. He is serving since 5 May 2022.[4]
Since the1967 constitution was adopted, only seven different people (all men) have served as Premier or Chief Minister, and each of them except forCyril Romney andAndrew Fahie has served at least two full terms. Also, each of them has served as theLeader of the Opposition.
H. Lavity Stoutt won the most general elections of any leader (he won five), followed byOrlando Smith (three). Stoutt, Smith andWillard Wheatley are the only leaders to have served two consecutive full terms (Ralph T. O'Neal also served two consecutive terms, but the first of those was the remaining part of a term after Stoutt's death).
(Dates in italics indicatede facto continuation of office)
| UP VIDP VIP NDP | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Term of office[a] | Political party | Elected | Notes | ||
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | ||||||
| Chief Ministers (1967–2007) | ||||||||
| 1 |  | H. Lavity Stoutt (1929–1995) | 14 April 1967 | 2 June 1971 | 4 years, 49 days | United Party | 1967 | First tenure |
| 2 | | Willard Wheatley (1915–1997) | 2 June 1971 | 12 November 1979 | 8 years, 163 days | VI Democratic Party | 1971 1975 | |
| (2) | United Party[b] | |||||||
| (1) | | H. Lavity Stoutt (1929–1995) | 12 November 1979 | 11 November 1983 | 3 years, 364 days | Virgin Islands Party | 1979 | Second tenure |
| 3 | | Cyril Romney (1931–2007) | 11 November 1983 | 17 November 1986 | 3 years, 6 days | United Party | 1983 | |
| (1) | | H. Lavity Stoutt (1929–1995) | 17 November 1986 | 14 May 1995 | 8 years, 178 days | Virgin Islands Party | 1986 1990 1995 | Third tenure. Died in office |
| 4 | .jpg) | Ralph T. O'Neal (1933–2019) | 15 May 1995 | 17 June 2003 | 8 years, 33 days | Virgin Islands Party | 1999 | |
| 5 | .jpg) | D. Orlando Smith (born 1944) | 17 June 2003 | 23 August 2007 | 4 years, 67 days | National Democratic Party | 2003 | |
| Premiers (2007–present) | ||||||||
| 1 | | Ralph T. O'Neal (1933–2019) | 23 August 2007 | 9 November 2011 | 4 years, 78 days | Virgin Islands Party | 2007 | |
| 2 | | D. Orlando Smith (born 1944) | 9 November 2011 | 25 February 2019 | 7 years, 108 days | National Democratic Party | 2011 2015 | |
| 3 |  | Andrew Fahie (born 1970) | 26 February 2019 | 5 May 2022 | 3 years, 69 days | Virgin Islands Party | 2019 | |
| 4 | .jpg) | Natalio Wheatley (born 1980) | 5 May 2022 | Incumbent | 3 years, 289 days | Virgin Islands Party | 2023 | |
All previous Chief Ministers or Premiers have served at least two terms except for Cyril Romney andAndrew Fahie.
| № | Name | General Election victories | Total time in office (days) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lavity Stoutt | 5 | 6,117 |
| 2 | Ralph O'Neal | 2 | 4,494 |
| 3 | Orlando Smith | 3 | 4,194 |
| 4 | Willard Wheatley | 2 | 3,085 |
| 5 | Andrew Fahie | 1 | 1,164 |
| 6 | Cyril Romney | 1 | 1,055 |
| 7 | Natalio Wheatley | 1 | 1,385 |
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