1950 British Virgin Islands general election

His oratory struck a chord, a march of over 1,500 British Virgin Islanders led by community leaders presented their grievances at the Commissioner's office.

At the time of election, the British Virgin Islands was a heavily underdeveloped country: In 1950 the BVI was the "backwater" of the West Indies.

The electricity supply, such as there was, consisted of a small diesel generator principally to service the hospital, Government House and lower Road Town for a six-hour period daily.

There were no banks or other financial institutions, no hotels and, simply, no economic base upon which the country could attract foreign investment or capital.

[3] The four persons elected to the inaugural Legislative Council were:[4] There were no political parties in the Territory at the time, nor any system of Ministerial government.

Accordingly, whilst the Council had legislative powers they did not have any executive authority, which continued to be administered through the British-appointed Administrator of the British Virgin Islands.