The National Democratic Party (or NDP) is a

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...

in the

British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...

. In the 2019 general election the NDP was voted out of office; it most recently held power after winning the 2015 general election.

Leadership

The party had only one leader for the first 19 years of its existence:

Orlando Smith Daniel Orlando Smith, OBE (born 28 August 1944) is a British Virgin Islands politician and the former Premier of the British Virgin Islands from 2011 to 2019 and from 2003 to 2007. He also formerly served as Chief Minister of the British V ...

. In June 2018 Orlando Smith announced he would be stepping down, and on 23 June

Myron Walwyn Myron Vernel Walwyn (born 22 February 1972) is a Virgin Islander politician who has served as Leader of the Opposition since March 2025. He is the former Minister of Education and Culture and Member for the Sixth District in the House of Assemb ...

was elected as the new party leader. At the same time the title of the party leader was changed from Chairman to President. In February 2019, after the territory's general election Marlon A. Penn became the Party President due to Myron Walwyn not being successful in the election.

History

Prior to 2011 the party most recently held power after the 2003 general election held on 16 June 2003, the party won 52.4% of popular votes and 8 out of 13 elected seats. It fought that campaign on a platform offering new leadership for the 21st century and promises to clean up corruption and victimisation. The NDP garnered much credit during its time in office for taking a pro-active approach to the development of the offshore finance industry, working closely with the private sector in relation to a number of initiatives. Ultimately however, this was not sufficient to prevent a resounding defeat when it returned to the polls in 2007. During the party's term of office following the 2003 election, the party's majority was cut to just one in May 2006 when the Hon.

Alvin Christopher J. Alvin Christopher, is a politician who presently serves as leader of the People's Empowerment Party in the British Virgin Islands. He is not currently a member of the House of Assembly, but was the longstanding elected member for the second d ...

was removed from his position as Minister of Communications and Works, and at the next meeting of the legislative council he "

crossed the floor In some parliamentary systems (e.g., in Canada and the United Kingdom), politicians are said to cross the floor if they formally change their political affiliation to a political party different from the one they were initially elected under. I ...

" to sit with the opposition; both moves are believed to be related to differences of opinion in relation to the Telecommunications Bill 2006 and

telecoms Telecommunication, often used in its plural form or abbreviated as telecom, is the transmission of information over a distance using electronic means, typically through cables, radio waves, or other communication technologies. These means of ...

liberalisation programme in the

generally, although neither side has given any public indication of thi

Mr Christopher subsequently ran as an independent against the NDP in the 2007 election, and was returned with a handsome majority. During the party's time in office, the loss of Mr Christopher was offset by Hon. Mark Vanterpool leaving the

Virgin Islands Party The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) is a List of political parties in the British Virgin Islands, political party in the British Virgin Islands. It is presently led by Natalio Wheatley. It is the oldest active political party in the British Virgin I ...

to join the NDP. The party was ousted from power in the 2007 general election, but was voted back into office in the 2011 general election. It was then re-elected in the 2015 general election with an increased majority.

Electoral history

House of Assembly elections

Footnotes

Political parties in the British Virgin Islands Social democratic parties in dependent territories of the United Kingdom Political parties established in 1998 1998 establishments in British Overseas Territories {{caribbean-party-stub