Delores Christopher (23 October 1947 – 16 October 2018) was a British Virgin Islands politician and businesswoman. She was the third woman elected to the
House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands
The House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, until 2007 known as the Legislative Council, has 15 members: 13 directly elected for four-year terms (nine in single-seat constituencies and four "at large"), and two ''ex officio'' member ...
. She was first elected in the
2003 general election as a representative for the Fifth District on behalf of the
National Democratic Party, and subsequently served from 2011 until her death in 2018.
Early life
Christopher was born on 27 October 1947 in the Old Plantation, and raised in the
Long Look Estate
The Long Look Estate in East End, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, claims to be the oldest free black community in the Western world.
History
In 1776 Samuel Nottingham, a Quaker, manumitted 25 slaves and gave them of land in Long Look in Tor ...
on
Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
Her father was Ivan Lettsome, a fisherman and local constable, and her mother was Hilda Potter-Lettsome. She had a brother, Maurice. She grew up attending local schools.
She received a diploma in executive secretarial studies from Duff's College in Barbados and a certificate in public administration from the
University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies (UWI), originally University College of the West Indies, is a public university system established to serve the higher education needs of the residents of 18 English-speaking countries and territories in t ...
in
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
.
She began her career as a stenographer for the Attorney General’s Chambers.
She worked as an administrative officer in the Chief Minister's Office and in the Trade Department, eventually being promoted to head of the Trade Department. She also helped to found the Association for the Advancement of Small Businesses and later served as president.
Career
Christopher contested the
1999 general election as an at-large candidate for the
National Democratic Party, the first elections that the party contested. She was first elected to the
Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands
The House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, until 2007 known as the Legislative Council, has 15 members: 13 directly elected for four-year terms (nine in single-seat constituency, constituencies and four "at large"), and two ex offici ...
in the
2003 general election, becoming the third woman to be elected to the legislature.
From 2003 to 2007, she served as a representative for the Fifth District and as a government
backbencher
In Westminster system, Westminster and other parliamentary systems, a backbencher is a member of parliament (MP) or a legislator who occupies no Minister (government), governmental office and is not a Frontbencher, frontbench spokesperson ...
. Although she lost her seat in the
2007 general election, she was re-elected in 2011 and 2015. Following the
2011 general election, Christopher was elected to serve as deputy speaker, a position she would hold until her death.
She represented the Fifth District for eleven years.
While in office, she helped to found Christmas on Main Street (now Christmas on DeCastro), the Virgin Islands Festival of the Arts, and the 'Buy BVI' Trade Show.
She assisted with the creation of the Crafts Alive complex in
Road Town
Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital and largest town of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the centre of the island's south coast. The population was about 15,000 in 2018.
The name is d ...
, as well as focusing on repairing roads and creating parks in Huntums Ghut and Fahie Hill. Christopher supported establishing a territorial pledge and song, as well as a national museum for local historical artefacts.
Personal life
She met her husband, Robert Christopher, shortly after beginning her career and they married in 1972. They lived together in Mount Healthy and had three children: Troy, Art and Najan Christopher.
Christopher died on 16 October 2018.
She was honoured at an official funeral on 3 November 2018, at the Sea Cows Bay Methodist Church.
Following her death, the Virgin Islands Festival of the Arts was renamed in her honour and she was honoured at the 20th Christmas on DeCastro Street on 1 December 2018.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christopher, Delores
1947 births
2018 deaths
People from Tortola
University of the West Indies alumni
British Virgin Islands women in politics
National Democratic Party (British Virgin Islands) politicians
Members of the House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands