Governor of the Virgin Islands

This article is about the British official. For the American official, see List of Governors of the United States Virgin Islands.

Governor of the Virgin Islands
Standard of the Governor
Arms of the British Virgin Islands
Incumbent Augustus Jaspert since 22 August 2017
Style	His Excellency
Residence	Government House, British Virgin Islands
Appointer	Queen Elizabeth II as Queen of the United Kingdom
Formation	1887
First holder	Edward John Cameron as Administrator
Website	Office of the Governor

The Governor of the Virgin Islands is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of the British Virgin Islands. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the Governor is to act as the de facto head of state, and he or she is responsible for appointing the Chief Minister and the Executive Council.

The current Governor is Augustus Jaspert.

The Governor has his own flag, the Union Flag defaced with the territory's coat of arms. The official residence of the Governor is Government House located in Road Town, Tortola.

History

The first colonial administration on the Islands was the Dutch. England annexed the Islands in 1672. An Administrator was appointed to the Islands from 1887, and replaced by a Governor in 1971 when the Islands were created a distinct territory.

Prior to this date, the local Council would elect one of their members to be President (see List of Presidents of the British Virgin Islands).

Up until 1971 the Administrators were answerable to the Governors of the Leeward Islands, of which the British Virgin Islands formed a part.

Powers

The Governor shall be responsible for the conduct of any business of the Government of the Virgin Islands, including the administration of any department of Government, with respect to the following matters:

1. External affairs;
2. Defence, including the armed forces;
3. Internal security, including the Police Force;
4. The terms and conditions of service of persons holding or acting in public offices, without prejudice to section 92; and
5. The administration of the courts.

The Governor also has various powers to make and remove appointments, and a power of pardon.

Subject to certain exceptions the Governor is required consult with the Cabinet in the exercise of all functions conferred on him or her by the Constitution of the British Virgin Islands or any other law for the time being in force in the British Virgin Islands.

List of Administrators of the British Virgin Islands

• Edward John Cameron (1887–1894)
• Alexander R. Mackay (1894–1896)
• Nathaniel George Cookman (1896–1903)
• Robert Stephen Earl (1903–1910)
• Thomas Leslie Hardtman Jarvis (1910–1919)
• Herbert Walter Peebles (1919–1922)
• R. Hargrove (1922–1923)
• Otho Lewis Hancock (1923–1926)
• Frank Cecil Clarkson (1926–1934)
• Donald Percy Wailling (1934–1946)
• John Augustus Cockburn Cruikshank (1946–1954)
• Henry Anthony Camillo Howard (1954–1956)
• Geoffrey Pole Allesbrook (1956–1959)
• Gerald Jackson Bryan (1959–1962)
• Martin Samuel Staveley (1962–1967)
• Sir Ian Thomson (1967–1971)

List of Governors of the British Virgin Islands

• Derek George Cudmore (1971–1974)
• Walter Wilkinson Wallace (1974–1978)
• James Alfred Davidson (1978–1982)
• David Robert Barwick (1982–1986)
• Mark Herdman (1986–1991)
• Peter Penfold (1991–1995)
• David Mackilligin (1995–1998)
• Frank Savage (1998–2002)
• Elton Georges (2002; Acting)
• Tom Macan (2002–2006)
• Dancia Penn (2006; Acting)
• David Pearey (2006–2010)
• V. Inez Archibald (2010; Acting)
• William Boyd McCleary (2010–August 1, 2014)
• V. Inez Archibald (August 1, 2014 – August 15, 2014; Acting)
• John Duncan (August 15, 2014–August 8, 2017)
• Robert A. Mathavious (August 8, 2017 – August 12, 2017; Acting)
• Rosalie Adams (August 12, 2017 – August 22, 2017; Acting)
• Augustus Jaspert (August 22, 2017–Present)

External links

• Governor's Office Tortola