2017 in the British Virgin Islands

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See also:	Other events of 2017 Timeline of BVI history

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

• 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