House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands

House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands
House of Assembly of the Virgin Islands
5th House of Assembly
Type
Type	Unicameral
Sovereign	Monarch of the United Kingdom
Established	1950
Leadership
Speaker	Corine George-Massicote ; since 26 May 2022
Speaker	Stacy Mather, Progressive Virgin Islands Movement ; since 18 May 2023
Premier	Natalio Wheatley, Virgin Islands Party ; since 5 May 2022
Leader of the Opposition	Ronnie Skelton, Progressive Virgin Islands Movement ; since 27 April 2023
Structure
Seats	15
Political groups	Government (7) VIP (7) Opposition (6) PVIM (3) NDP (2) PU (1) Ex officio (2) Ex officio (2)
Elections
Voting system	FPTP (9), plurality block voting (4), ex officio members (2)
Last election	24 April 2023
Meeting place
	Richard C. Stoutt Building, Road Town, Tortola
Website
	www.legco.gov.vg

The House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, until 2007 known as the Legislative Council,^[1] has 15 members: 13 directly elected for four-year terms (nine in single-seat constituencies and four "at large"), and two ex officio members (the Attorney General and a Speaker chosen from outside the house).^[2]

Sittings of the House of Assembly are divided into "terms" with each term following from a general election. The House of Assembly is presently sitting its fourth term, but the first term of the House of Assembly followed the 15th term of the old Legislative Council. Accordingly, in aggregate the legislature is sitting its 19th term since the restoration of democracy in the Territory. Each term has a series of "sittings". At the end of each sitting the House is either prorogued until the next sitting, or dissolved for a general election.

The Corine George-Massicote was elected Speaker of the House on 26 May 2022.^[3] The official record is Hansard.

^ The Virgin Islands (Constitution) Order 1976 Archived 3 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine (SI 1976/2145), as amended by 1979/1603, 1982/151, 1991/2871 and 1994/1638
^ The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 (SI 2007/1678)
^ "Corine George-Massicote sworn in as new Speaker of HOA". 26 May 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.

[1] The Virgin Islands (Constitution) Order 1976 Archived 3 May 2009 at the Wayback Machine (SI 1976/2145), as amended by 1979/1603, 1982/151, 1991/2871 and 1994/1638

[2] The Virgin Islands Constitution Order 2007 (SI 2007/1678)

[3] "Corine George-Massicote sworn in as new Speaker of HOA". 26 May 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.

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