Reverend O’Neal’s hospitalisation comes on the heels of the passing of her husband, former Premier of the Virgin Islands and Member Emeritus of the House of Assembly, Hon O’Neal, who died on November 11, 2019.

HoA sitting for Hon O’Neal

Only today, November 27, 2019, the HoA announced there would be a Third Sitting of the Second Session of the Fourth House of Assembly on Tuesday, December 3, 2019 to pay tribute to Honourable O’Neal who served as Representative for the Seventh District (then Virgin Gorda) in the Legislative Council from 1975 to 1979, Representative for the Ninth District from 1979 to 2015, Minister for Social Services from 1979 to 1983, Minister for Natural Resources and Labour and deputy Chief Minister from 1988 to 1994 and Chief Minister and Representative for the Ninth District from 1995 to 2003.

He served as premier and Representative for the Ninth District in the House of Assembly from 2007 until 2011. He also served as a Member of the House of Assembly and Representative for the Ninth District from 2001 to 2015 until his retirement in 2015.

On July 6, 2015, Honourable O’Neal was bestowed the title of Member Emeritus.

A state funeral for the late Hon Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE is planned for Wednesday December 11, 2019.