Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Sep 01, 2025

Could VI see its first female Premier after the 2023 Elections?

Could VI see its first female Premier after the 2023 Elections?

Since the Virgin Islands (VI) moved to a ministerial system some 56 years ago, there has never been a woman as Chief Minister or Premier of the territory.

Many residents are claiming that many of the issues caused by the political class have been because of Patriarchal leadership fueled by male egos, and that it is time for a woman to be at the helm of the Government in the Virgin Islands.

However, currently, there are no women heading any of the four main political parties, these are the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) led by Dr the Hon Natalio D. Whealty (R7); the National Democratic Party (NDP) led by Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8); Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) led by Ronnie W. Skelton and the one-man Progressives United (PU) led by Hon Julian Fraser RA (R3), all men.

But with the outcome of the elections uncertain and many voters believing that there will be a coalition government, could a woman emerge as the next Premier?

There are many female candidates being floated as possible Premiers including, former First Lady Lorna G. Smith of the NDP, Luce D. Hodge-Smith of the VIP, and Ingrid A. Moses-Scatliffe of the PVIM.

However, for these women to even be considered for premiership in the VI, they must first win their seats in the House of Assembly.

If the party leaders of the four main parties do not make the cut in the April 24, 2023, election there could be a lot of 'jockeying' for power and a female could be in the lead for the highest office in the VI.

Male dominated leadership of the current political parties include, Hons Dr Natalio D. Wheatley (VIP), Julian Fraser (PVIM), Marlon A. Penn (NDP) along with former Legislator Ronnie W. Skelton (PVIM).



A women leader possible in a sexist culture?

Over the years, there have been two former female legislators who served as Deputy Chief Minister/Deputy Premier in the persons of Eileene L. Parsons OBE and R. Dancia Penn-Sallah OBE, KC, but those have been the highest political office holders led by women.

While the VI in 2023, remains a male leadership-dominated society with old-fashioned and often sexist attitudes being propagated about the role of women, political pundits are forecasting that in an election year when persons want change, a woman could possibly emerge as the first female Premier of the Virgin Islands.

Five months ago, controversial talk-show host Claude O. Skelton-Cline who hosts the Honestly Speaking radio show on ZBVI 780am had predicted that a woman would emerge as the leader of the Territory following the 2023 General Elections.

His prediction will be put to the test on April 24, 2023, if none of the political parties wins seven seats outright.

Mr. Skelton-Cline like others in the VI, have encouraged residents to vote for women and including controversial social activists Cindy Rosan, who has been pushing for an all-female slate for the HoA.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Chinese and Indian Leaders Pursue Amity Amid Global Shifts
European Union Plans for Ukraine Deployment
ECB Warns Against Inflation Complacency
Concerns Over North Cyprus Casino Development
Shipping Companies Look Beyond Chinese Finance
Rural Exodus Fueling European Wildfires
China Hosts Major Security Meeting
Chinese Police Successfully Recover Family's Savings from Livestream Purchases
Germany Marks a Decade Since Migrant Wave with Divisions, Success Stories, and Political Shifts
Liverpool Defeat Arsenal 1–0 with Szoboszlai Free-Kick to Stay Top of Premier League
Prince Harry and King Charles to Meet in First Reunion After 20 Months
Chinese Stock Market Rally Fueled by Domestic Investors
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
Ukrainian Nationalist Politician Andriy Parubiy Assassinated in Lviv
Corporate America Cuts Middle Management as Bosses Take On Triple the Workload
Parents Sue OpenAI After Teen’s Death, Alleging ChatGPT Encouraged Suicide
Amazon Faces Lawsuit Over 'Buy' Label on Digital Streaming Content
Federal Reserve Independence Questioned Amid Trump’s Push to Reshape Central Bank
British Politics Faces Tumultuous Autumn After Summer of Rebellions and Rising Farage Momentum
US Appeals Court Rules Against Most Trump-Era Tariffs
UK Sought Broad Access to Apple Users’ Data, Court Filing Reveals
UK Bank Shares Dive Over Potential Tax on Sector
Germany’s Auto Industry Sheds 51,500 Jobs in First Half of 2025 Amid Deepening Crisis
Bruce Willis Relocated Due to Advanced Dementia
French and Korean Nuclear Majors Clash As EU Launches Foreign Subsidy Probe
EU Stands Firm on Digital Rules as Trump Warns of Retaliation
Getting Ready for the 3rd Time in Its History, Germany Approves Voluntary Military Service for Teenagers
Argentine President Javier Milei Evacuated After Stones Thrown During Campaign Event
Denmark Confronts U.S. Diplomat Over Covert Trump-Linked Influence in Greenland
Starmer Should Back Away from ECHR, Says Jack Straw
Trump Demands RICO Charges Against George Soros and Son for Funding Violent Protests
Taylor Swift Announces Engagement to NFL Star Travis Kelce
France May Need IMF Bailout, Warns Finance Minister
Chinese AI Chipmaker Cambricon Posts Record Profit as Beijing Pushes Pivot from Nvidia
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
Ukraine Finally Allows Young Men Aged Eighteen to Twenty-Two to Leave the Country
The Porn Remains, Privacy Disappears: How Britain Broke the Internet in Ten Days
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Welcome to The Definition of Insanity: Germany Edition
Just a reminder, this is Michael Jackson's daughter, Paris.
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
×