Delegates of the ruling NDP in the BVI elected Mr Walwyn as their party leader on June 23
He defeated Health Minister Ronnie Skelton who was also vying for the post. It is not clear whether any other party members were nominated to contest for party leader.
Walwyn’s reported running mate, Marlon Penn, was also successful in his campaign to become party Vice President.
Penn went up against first-term legislator Melvin ‘Mitch’ Turnbull who is said to have been Skelton’s running mate.
Prior to tonight’s internal election – which was closed to the public – Premier Dr D Orlando Smith and Deputy Premier Kedrick Pickering were NDP President and Vice President, respectively.
Premier Smith had announced days ahead of the NDP event that he would not be seeking to be re-elected as party leader. It is said Dr Pickering made a similar decision for the vice presidency.
Ordinarily, elected legislators who sit as President and Vice-President of the NDP would be the territory’s Premier and Deputy Premier, respectively; once the NDP is the governing party.
However, it is possible for a governing NDP to have a party president who is not the premier, or a party vice-president who is not the deputy premier.
