Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) lays a wreath at the grave of the Territory's first Chief Minister, Mr H. Lavity Stoutt on March 2, 2020. Photo: VINO

The late Hon Stoutt died on May 14, 1995, and was the first and longest-serving Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands, winning five General Elections (1967, 1979, 1986, 1991 and 1995). Photo: VINO/File

Speaking at the 25th Annual H. Lavity Stoutt Memorial Celebration on Monday, March 2, 2020, Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture, Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) says the legacies of First Chief Minister, H.L. Stoutt and those before him, paved the way for the modern Virgin Islands that is known today; beneficial to all. Photo: GIS/Facebook

The Minister was at the time speaking at the celebration of the historic leader in the packed auditorium of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay, Tortola, VI, where the legacies of Mr Stoutt was detailed to those present. Photo: GIS/Facebook

Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn lays a wreath at the grave of the Territory's first Chief Minister, Mr H. Lavity Stoutt on March 2, 2020. Photo: VINO

The wreath laying ceremony at the grave of the Territory's first Chief Minister, Mr H. Lavity Stoutt on March 2, 2020. Photo: VINO

The Minister was at the time speaking at the birth anniversary observance of the historic leader in the packed auditorium of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College in Paraquita Bay, Tortola, VI, where the legacies of Mr Stoutt were detailed to those present. 

First Chief Minister 

“In 1957 in the third election following the registration of the legislative council, a man by the name of Hamilton Lavity Stoutt was elected to represent the people of the First District. He was a special leader for with the passing of a new constitution in 1967, introducing Ministerial government, he would be elected as our first Chief Minister and lead our people in shaping a modern BVI,”

Dr Wheatley said in those days, the Territory suffered from neglect by the British as the Virgin Islands was just a small part of the larger British empire.

“Being a small dot in Britain’s large empire, easily forgotten about, for so long our people lacked electricity, we had to rely on the church for basic education, we survived through fishing, farming, bartering, trading goods with our USVI neighbours, we travelled by Donkey and by boat and it was with the responsibilities confirmed to our leaders that our future began to change.”

According to the Minster, H.L. Stoutt's accomplishment, vision, strengths and length of leadership are admirable. 

'A visionary leader' - Dr Wheatley 

“I would have thought that the greatest quality exhibited by H.L. Stoutt was his vision and hence his favourite Bible quote, 'where there is no vision the people perish,'" Hon Wheatley said.

He continued, "H.L Stoutt had a vision for what the Virgin Islands could be, he had a vision for the economy, a vision for the education system, a vision for the infrastructure and he put the components in place to execute that vision and we are seeing the benefits from that vision today.” 

The late Hon Stoutt died on May 14, 1995, and was the first and longest-serving Chief Minister of the Virgin Islands, winning five General Elections (1967, 1979, 1986, 1991 and 1995) and serving three non-consecutive terms of office from 1967 to 1971, again from 1979 to 1983 and again from 1986 until his death.

Earlier in the morning, March 2, 2020, a brief wreath laying ceremony was held at the gravesite of Mr Stoutt in Cappoons Bay. Among those laying wreaths were Premier and Minister of Finance, Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) and Opposition Leader, Hon Marlon A. Penn (R8).