No clear winner in BVI elections

A year after Britain had threatened to take away daily self governance and reimpose direct rule on the British Virgin Islands (BVI), voters decided that any party which wants to govern the string of idyllic tourist islands must form a coalition government following inconclusive general elections held on Monday.

The incumbent Virgin Islands Party (VIP) of Premier Natalio Wheatley won six of the 13 assembly seats, falling one shy of a minimum majority, leaving the VIP with no choice but to negotiate with other parties to form a government in the coming days.

About 16,000 people were eligible to vote in the elections. Counting began immediately once polling had closed at sundown. By 11.p.m. Eastern Caribbean time, the results had by then shown that the VIP had secured six seats, the National Democratic Party (NDP) three and the Progressive VI Movement, also three. The final seat was picked up by the Progressive United Party, meaning that talks will have to begin almost immediately to form a government in the British colony. Elections are held every four years.

Coalition talks to form an administration are not expected to be strung out over several months as Britain has already signaled its dissatisfaction with a string of fiscal and governance reforms it had ordered after a commission of inquiry report last year had found local politicians wanting in many areas.

As well, Governor and British representative, John Rankin has already passed on London’s dissatisfaction with the pace of reform and has signaled that it still remains possible that London can still go ahead with plans to impose direct rule if it is dissatisfied with the pace of reform implementation.

The elections were also held a year after previous premier Andrew Fahie and two other BVI officials were held in Florida by federal authorities for allegedly plotting with undercover agents to set up the BVI as a main transshipment point for cocaine smuggling to the US. Fahie has already pleaded not guilty and is out on bail pending the start of his trial in June. Premier Wheatley succeeded him as head of government and has now won his own mandate.

Officials say Wheatley is expected to wrap up coalition talks shortly largely because he had quickly scrambled together a unity government last year just when it had looked that Britain was about to reimpose direct rule. It had included opposition lawmakers. He is expected to be sworn in later Tuesday