Last Updated on November 13, 2019, 1:04 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The former British Virgin Islands premier, Ralph T. O’Neal passes away at the age of 85 after a prolonged illness on Monday.
Ralph T. O’Neal OBE was the first Premier of the British Virgin Islands in 2007 when the Island adopted a new Constitution, which introduced a cabinet style of Government that saw the Chief Minister position replaced by and renamed Premier.
He was the longest-serving(1975 – 2015) elected politician in the country’s history.
EARLY LIFE
Ralph T. O’Neal was born on December 15th, 1933 in Virgin Gorda, BVI. He received his education at St. Mary’s Anglican Elementary School in Virgin Gorda and the St. Kitts-Nevis Grammar School in St. Kitts before later attending a two-month course at the University of the West Indies and graduating from Trinity College, Oxford University in England.
He graduated with two diplomas, gaining distinctions in both – one in Government and Political Science and the other in Economic Development; in the latter, he specialized in the study of the development of small countries.
St Kitts-Nevis PM Harris condoles demise
The Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis Timothy Harris extends deepest condolences to the Ralph O’ Neal’s beloved wife, Reverend Edris O’Neal OBE and four children and the people of the British Virgin Islands.
“Ralph T. O’Neal OBE was a flag bearer for the economic resiliency and prosperity of small islands. He was an inimitable fixture in Caribbean politics,” PM Harris said.
“We in St. Kitts and Nevis can count ourselves honoured to be inextricably linked to the Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, as he spent some time at one of our elite schools, which served him well as a stepping stone to greatness,” PM added.
“The Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal OBE was responsible for a large swath of development in the BVI, spanning a diverse range of infrastructure and other capital projects, including clinics, police stations, roads, and schools. Indeed, just about every fabric of modern-day BVI society bears his thumbprint,” the Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis added, while also noting that O’Neal’s VIP administration was responsible for the awarding of Crown lands that resulted in many BVI residents building their first homes.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
