Dancia Penn
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Ruth Dancia Penn, OBE, QC is a British Virgin Islands politician and former deputy governor of the British Virgin Islands. Dancia Penn also formerly served as the Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands from 1992 to 1999.[1]
She was the first woman to be appointed to either post, and the first British Virgin Islander to serve as Attorney General.
She served briefly as the acting Governor of the British Virgin Islands during 2006 in the gap between Tom Macan leaving office and David Pearey taking up his appointment.
Professionally Dancia Penn goes by her maiden name, but her legal name has been changed to Mrs Dancia Penn-Sallah since her marriage to Captain Sallah, Registrar of Ships in the British Virgin Islands.
In July of 2007, Dancia Penn announced her candidacy, standing in the 8th district in the General Election held on 20 August 2007 in the British Virgin Islands.[2] She was elected to office, defeating the incumbent Lloyd Black. She has also been appointed the Minister of Heath and Welfare, and most favorable The Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands.
There has been considerable speculation that when the current Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Ralph T. O'Neal retires, Dancia Penn will be named as his successor as leader of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP), and would thereby become the first female Premier in the Territory. Ralph O'Neal was 73 years old at the date of the VIP's 2007 election victory.
In 2007, Dancia Penn took up a temporary appointment as an acting judge of the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. She was required to give up that appointment shortly after formally entering politics as a candidate.
[edit] References
- ^ OBE for Dancia Penn, QC. The Island Sun (January 18, 2002). Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
- ^ Andrews, Merrick (25 July 2007). Dancia Penn-Sallah confirmed as VIP 8th district candidate. BVI News. Retrieved on 2008-01-26.
[edit] Offices
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Karl Trotman |
Attorney General of the British Virgin Islands 1992-1999 |
Succeeded by Cherno Jallow |
| Preceded by Elton Georges, OBE |
Deputy Governor of the British Virgin Islands 2006 |
Succeeded by Elton Georges, OBE |
| Preceded by Lloyd Black |
House of Assembly Member, 8th District 2007- |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
