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.[1] He also formerly served as Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands (as the role was formerly known before the 2007 constitution was adopted) from 2003 to 2007.[2] He first won the office when his National Democratic Party won the 2003 general election, being the party's first victory at a general election in its history.
Orlando Smith originally qualified as a physician, specialising in obstetrics, and was the territory's chief medical officer for many years both before and after entering politics.[3][4] He entered politics at a relatively late stage of his career, being first elected to the Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands (now called the House of Assembly) in the 1999 general election, as the head of the newly formed National Democratic Party (NDP). In 2003, Smith led the NDP to victory, defeating the ruling Virgin Islands Party for the first time since 1983 in the 2003 general election.
However, in the 2007 general election, Smith and his party suffered a defeat at the hands of the Virgin Islands Party, retaining only two seats (one of which was Smith's) out of 13 elected seats. Smith barely retained his seat as the at-large candidate, receiving the fourth largest number of votes. Smith remained in the legislature as the head of the opposition.
In the 2011 general election Smith and the National Democratic Party rebounded, and won an overall majority. Accordingly, he was invited by the governor to form a new government. He followed that with a second successive victory in the 2015 general election becoming only the second politician in the Territory to win three general elections as party leader.[5] He passed Willard Wheatley as the third longest serving head of Government in British Virgin Islands history on 14 February 2016. However, he would need to win a fourth term to surpass Ralph O'Neal in second place.[6]
During his political career, Smith has stood in each election as an "at large" candidate, and so is not affiliated with any individual political district. In each election that he had stood in other than the 2007 election, he had garnered more votes than any other at large candidate (under the current political system in the British Virgin Islands, the four at large candidates with the highest number of votes are elected to the Legislative Council together with the representatives of each of the political districts; each voter casts up to five votes – one for the representative of their district, and up to four for the at large candidates).
In June 2018 Smith indicated he would be stepping down and not contesting the next general election.[7]
* For at-large candidates (general elections) who won, this is the vote differential from the 5th placed candidate (i.e. the candidate with the highest number of votes who was not elected). For at-large candidates who lose, this is the vote differential from the 4th placed candidate (i.e. the candidate with the lowest number of votes who was elected).
Referencesedit
^"Premier's Office". Government of the Virgin Islands. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
^. Government of the Virgin Islands. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
^. Oyster BVI. Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016.
^After Lavity Stoutt. Ralph O'Neal won two terms as leader, and served most of a third term when Lavity Stoutt died in 1995.
^This would occur on 23 December 2019, but the latest date upon which the next general election can be held following the 2015 election is 22 August 2019.
^"Premier not seeking re-election as NDP leader". BVI News. 19 June 2018.
orlando, smith, this, article, about, politician, basketball, coach, tubby, smith, american, philosopher, orlando, smith, this, biography, living, person, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, adding, reliable, sources, contentious, materia. This article is about the BVI politician For the basketball coach see Tubby Smith For the American philosopher see Orlando J Smith This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification Please help by adding reliable sources Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page especially if potentially libelous Find sources Orlando Smith news newspapers books scholar JSTOR March 2011 Learn how and when to remove this message 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 1 He also formerly served as Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands as the role was formerly known before the 2007 constitution was adopted from 2003 to 2007 2 He first won the office when his National Democratic Party won the 2003 general election being the party s first victory at a general election in its history The HonourableOrlando SmithOBEPremier of the British Virgin IslandsIn office 9 November 2011 26 February 2019MonarchElizabeth IIGovernorJohn DuncanAugustus JaspertPreceded byRalph O NealSucceeded byAndrew FahieIn office 17 June 2003 23 August 2007MonarchElizabeth IIGovernorTom MacanDancia Penn Acting David PeareyPreceded byRalph O NealSucceeded byRalph O Neal Premier Personal detailsBorn 1944 08 28 28 August 1944 age 79 Tortola British Virgin IslandsPolitical partyNational Democratic PartySpouseLorna Smith Orlando Smith originally qualified as a physician specialising in obstetrics and was the territory s chief medical officer for many years both before and after entering politics 3 4 He entered politics at a relatively late stage of his career being first elected to the Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands now called the House of Assembly in the 1999 general election as the head of the newly formed National Democratic Party NDP In 2003 Smith led the NDP to victory defeating the ruling Virgin Islands Party for the first time since 1983 in the 2003 general election However in the 2007 general election Smith and his party suffered a defeat at the hands of the Virgin Islands Party retaining only two seats one of which was Smith s out of 13 elected seats Smith barely retained his seat as the at large candidate receiving the fourth largest number of votes Smith remained in the legislature as the head of the opposition In the 2011 general election Smith and the National Democratic Party rebounded and won an overall majority Accordingly he was invited by the governor to form a new government He followed that with a second successive victory in the 2015 general election becoming only the second politician in the Territory to win three general elections as party leader 5 He passed Willard Wheatley as the third longest serving head of Government in British Virgin Islands history on 14 February 2016 However he would need to win a fourth term to surpass Ralph O Neal in second place 6 During his political career Smith has stood in each election as an at large candidate and so is not affiliated with any individual political district In each election that he had stood in other than the 2007 election he had garnered more votes than any other at large candidate under the current political system in the British Virgin Islands the four at large candidates with the highest number of votes are elected to the Legislative Council together with the representatives of each of the political districts each voter casts up to five votes one for the representative of their district and up to four for the at large candidates In June 2018 Smith indicated he would be stepping down and not contesting the next general election 7 Electoral history editD Orlando Smith electoral history Year District Party Votes Percentage Winning losing margin Result 1999 At large National Democratic Party 3 094 12 93 1 997 Won 1st 2003 At large National Democratic Party 4 300 14 72 1 026 Won 1st 2007 At large National Democratic Party 3 549 12 29 18 Won 4th 2011 At large National Democratic Party 5 117 14 7 1 247 Won 1st 2015 At large National Democratic Party 5 753 15 95 2 333 Won 2nd For at large candidates general elections who won this is the vote differential from the 5th placed candidate i e the candidate with the highest number of votes who was not elected For at large candidates who lose this is the vote differential from the 4th placed candidate i e the candidate with the lowest number of votes who was elected References edit Premier s Office Government of the Virgin Islands Retrieved 5 February 2016 Government changes in the BVI Dr the Honourable D Orlando Smith OBE MHA Government of the Virgin Islands Archived from the original on 3 April 2016 Retrieved 19 July 2016 Hon D Orlando Smith OBE MHA Oyster BVI Archived from the original on 29 August 2016 Retrieved 19 July 2016 After Lavity Stoutt Ralph O Neal won two terms as leader and served most of a third term when Lavity Stoutt died in 1995 This would occur on 23 December 2019 but the latest date upon which the next general election can be held following the 2015 election is 22 August 2019 Premier not seeking re election as NDP leader BVI News 19 June 2018 Political offices Preceded byRalph O Neal Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands2003 2007 Succeeded byRalph O Nealas Premier of the British Virgins Islands Premier of the British Virgin Islands2011 2019 Succeeded byAndrew Fahie Preceded byE Walwyn Brewley Leader of the Opposition1999 2003 Succeeded byRalph O Neal Preceded byRalph O Neal Leader of the Opposition2007 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Orlando Smith amp oldid 1200864261, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
