# 2016 in the British Virgin Islands

Events from the year 2016 in the British Virgin Islands.

## Incumbents

* Governor: John Duncan
* Premier: Orlando Smith

## Events
### January

* 1 January 2016 - The National Health Insurance scheme comes into effect.
* 12 January 2016 - Government announces a controversial $7 million investment in startup BVI Airways.
* 20 January 2016 - The inaugural Virgin Islands General Legal Council is appointed, headed by Dancia Penn QC.
* 25 January 2016 - Minister of Works Mark Vanterpool announces that the public pier park project was cost $85 million, more than double the original budget of $35 million.

### March

* 19 March 2016 - The BVI is affected by a magnitude 6.0 earthquake. No major damage is reported.

### April

* 3 April 2016 - The Panama Papers are published, revealing the previously confidential beneficial owners of a large number of companies incorporated in the Territory.

### June

* 23 June 2016 - The House of Assembly adopts the Virgin Islands pledge.

### July

* 22 July 2016 - It is announced that Elinah Phillip will represent the British Virgin Islands at the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first time a swimmer has represented the Territory at the games.
* 31 July 2016 - Gunfire was shot at or near to the Premier's vehicle; the Premier, Orlando Smith, was not in the vehicle at the time.

### August

* 22 August 2016 - Billionaire BVI resident Sir Richard Branson is injured in a serious cycling accident on Virgin Gorda.
* 25 August 2016 - Five cases of the Zika virus are confirmed in the Territory as part of a wider global outbreak.

### September

* 29 September 2016 - Former Premier Ralph O'Neal suffers a stroke.

### October

* 1 October 2016 - The minimum wage raised from $4 an hour to $6 an hour.
* 17 October 2016 - The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council rules against HM Customs in a long running dispute with Delta Petroleum.

### November

* 28 November 2016 - The National Health Insurance scheme suspends benefits for over 1,000 workers because of their employer's failure to pay contributions. This action is subsequently agreed to be unlawful.

### December

* 27 December 2016 - Government awards the contract for the expansion of Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport to China Communications Construction Company for US$153,432,572.10. It is the largest government contract awarded in the Territory's history, and concerns are expressed about the company's bidding practices.

## Footnotes

* ↑ "It's A Celebration; We Listened - Skelton On NHI". BVI Platinum. 4 January 2016.
* ↑ "BVI invests $7M in airline owned by bank". BVI News. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
* ↑ "Penn appointed head of 7-member legal council". BVI News. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
* ↑ "Pier/park project overshot budget by $48M (speech)". BVI News. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
* ↑ "BVI affected by 6.0 magnitude earthquake". BVI News. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
* ↑ "Giant leak of offshore financial records exposes global array of crime and corruption". OCCRP. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. 3 April 2016. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
* ↑ "BVI hit by another major leak of records". BVI News. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
* ↑ "It's Official! Virgin Islands Has Territorial Pledge". Retrieved 28 September 2017.
* ↑ "BVI sending first swimmer to Olympics". BVI News. 22 July 2016. Archived from the original on 29 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ "Man shot – premier's driver happy to be alive". BVI News. 1 August 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ "A helmet saved my life – Branson in serious crash". BVI News. 26 August 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ "Health Officials Confirm Five Cases Of Zika Virus". DDM. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
* ↑ "Former premier taken to hospital". BVI News. 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ "Minimum Wage Increase Effective October 1". Government News Service. 4 August 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ Commissioner of Customs v Delta Petroleum (Caribbean) Limited [2016] UKPC 27 (17 October 2016)
* ↑ "As promised: NHI suspends over 1,000 employees". BVI New. 8 December 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ "We can't suspend people, NHI finally admits". BVI News. 24 February 2017.
* ↑ "Chinese company selected for airport project". BVI News. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
* ↑ "Blacklisted Chinese bridge building company has history of backhander deals". The Independent. 21 July 2014. The blacklisted state-owned China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) that gifted Malta a 'free' €4 million feasibility study on building a bridge between Malta and Gozo has a history of greasing the palms of officials in third world countries.