2017 in the British Virgin Islands
Hurricane Irma struck the British Virgin Islands with devastating effect on 6 September 2017, one of two Category-5 hurricanes to strike within a fortnight.
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Events from the year 2017 in the British Virgin Islands.
Incumbents[]
- Governor:
- until 8 August: John Duncan
- 8 August - 12 August: Robert Mathavious (acting)
- 12 August - 22 August: Rosalie Adams (acting)
- starting 22 August: Augustus Jaspert
- Premier: Orlando Smith
Events[]
January[]
- 9 January 2017 - Bishop John Cline resigns from the BVI Health Services Authority after criticising the Government.[1]
- 11 January 2017 - Social Security Board signs a contract to build 43 homes as part of a social housing project, the Territory's first.[2]
- 23 January 2017
- Former US President Barack Obama visits the British Virgin Islands.[3]
- BVI Finance appoints a new board of director from the private sector, transitioning from a publicly run body.[4][5]
February[]
- 6 February 2017 - Andrew Fahie replaces Julian Fraser as leader of the opposition Virgin Islands Party.[6]
- 8 February 2017 - Earl ‘Bob’ Hodge and Robert ‘Tico’ Harrigan are remanded into custody in relation to a long-standing extradition request from the United States.[7]
March[]
- 3 March 2017 - Minister of Health, Ronnie Skelton, calls for the decriminalisation of marijuana.[8]
April[]
- 1 April 2017 - retirement age is increased from 60 to 65.[9]
- 25 April 2017 - UNICEF publishes a controversial report on the state of the British Virgin Islands.[10][11]
May[]
- 3 May 2017 - new British Virgin Islands Electricity Corporation power plant comes online.[12]
- 8 May 2017 - the Territory records its fifth murder, the highest total since 2008 and second highest ever.[13]
July[]
- 1 July 2017 - registers of beneficial ownership are introduced for British Virgin Islands companies.[14]
- 18 July 2017 - BVI Airways announced it was laying off all staff as it had exhausted its funds, despite having received a $7 million Government subsidy.[15] This followed tit-for-tat accusations between the Government and the airline.[16][17]
August[]
Gus Jaspert was sworn in as the BVI's new Governor.
- 8 August 2017 - Emancipation Festival celebrations are cancelled after flooding damage caused by torrential rains, the first cancellation due to weather in decades.[18]
- 17 August 2017 - contrary to expectations, the Financial Services Commission announces an increase in incorporation rates since the introduction of beneficial ownership registration.[19]
- 22 August 2017 - Augustus "Gus" Jaspert is sworn in as the new Governor of the Virgin Islands.[20]
September[]
- 6 September 2017 - Hurricane Irma strikes the British Virgin Islands directly causing widespread damage and 4 deaths.[21][22][23]
- 7 September 2017 - Governor declares state of emergency under the Constitution of the British Virgin Islands, the first time this has ever happened.[24]
- 20 September 2017 - Hurricane Maria strikes the British Virgin Islands obliquely, causing modest damage. Damage caused by the Hurricane to nearby Puerto Rico affects recovery efforts following Hurricane Irma.[25]
- 27 September 2017 - A number of high-risk inmates are transferred from Tortola to Bordelais Correctional Facility in St Lucia because of the damaged state of the Balsam Ghut prison.[26]
November[]
- 14 November 2017 - At the third attempt the US government secures a ruling to extradite Earl 'Bob' Hodge and Roberto 'Tico' Harrigan to the US to face drugs charges. The initial extradition request was made in 2012.[27]
- 22 November 2017 - a double homicide brings the country's tally of murders for the year to 10, the highest total ever in a single calendar year.[28]
December[]
- 19 December 2017 - The Social Security board acquires a 33% shareholding in National Bank of the Virgin Islands.[29] The bank was formerly wholly owned by the Government of the Virgin Islands.
Deaths[]
- 20 December - Omar Hodge, politician.
Footnotes[]
- ^ "John Cline resigns amid massive split in NDP gov't". BVI News. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
- ^ "Social Security signs $11M contract for 43 houses". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Obamas in BVI for vacation". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "BVI Finance gets new board". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "BVI Finance changes name to BVI Finance Ltd". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Fraser replaced – Fahie now opposition leader". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Two wanted in the United States remanded in custody". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Health minister wants marijuana decriminalized". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Retirement Age At 65 To Be Enforced In Public & Private Sectors". Island Sun. 17 April 2017. Retrieved 30 September 2017.
- ^ "UNICEF denounces bias in social services". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "UNICEF report sparks fiery debate in BVI". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Power project completed, plant getting new name". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Murder rate relatively low, but highest since 2008". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "BVI's new beneficial ownership regime to take effect on 1 July 2017". Harneys. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "We need money to fly – BVI Airways lays off staff". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Airline fully regulated, blames gov't for delay". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Premier fires back at airline: START FLYING NOW!". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "2017 Emancipation Festival Cancelled". Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "REPORT: Company incorporation finally increases". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "I Will Not Be Afraid To Act---Governor Jaspert Sworn-In". BVI Platinum. 22 August 2017.
- ^ "'We are still in survival mode': island of Tortola rebuilds after Hurricane Irma". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Help Us! Cries for assistance after Irma leaves widespread devastation". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "All 4 casualties of Hurricane Irma now identified". BVI News. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2017.
- ^ "Governor declares State of Emergency; says fatalities reported". BVI News. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "British Virgin Islands to face 155mph winds with Hurricane Maria". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
- ^ "21 inmates from VI transferred to prison in St Lucia". VINO. 28 September 2017.
- ^ "Bob Hodge, Tico Harrigan lose extradition case". BVI News. 15 November 2017.
- ^ "BREAKING NEWS: Two Dead Following Shooting Incident". BVI Platinum News. 22 November 2017.
- ^ "Social Security Buys 33% Shares Of National Bank". The Island Sun. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
Categories:
- 2017 in the British Virgin Islands
- 2010s in the British Virgin Islands
- 2017 by country