NDP 'strong' and election-ready, says Cline
Interim NDP President John I. Cline says the party is "strong and well-positioned" as it prepares for the 2026/2027 general election, promising a full slate of candidates and policies focused on jobs, youth and local business growth. The party is planning a convention after reuniting with the PVIM in March 2025 and will announce the date soon.
Interim National Democratic Party (NDP) President John I. Cline told our News Centre that the party is "strong and well-positioned in its preparations for the 2026/2027 general election." He said the NDP is confident it will field a strong slate of candidates who can "not only contest the election but to win and to govern these beautiful Virgin Islands and lead it on a path to success, sustainable development and economic prosperity." Cline, who has been serving as interim president since party leadership changes, noted the NDP remains focused on concrete policy priorities that matter to residents: improving standards of living, creating jobs — particularly for young people — and growing the economy to give local businesses and entrepreneurs "a real chance at success in the Virgin Islands." "That's what we're about, and we intend to do that once the people of the Virgin Islands trust us enough to want more for themselves, want more for these Virgin Islands," he said, adding the party is "very well-positioned and prepared to deliver on those things." The remarks come as the NDP continues to reorganise following the 2023 general election, when the party won three seats.
The NDP and the Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) announced their reunification under the NDP banner on March 26, 2025, a move Cline says has strengthened the party's preparations for the next electoral contest. Cline confirmed plans are under way for a party convention, with organisers previously aiming for a date by the end of 2025 or during the first quarter of 2026. "The planning is still in motion.
We will soon be releasing the date of the convention," he told our newsroom, signalling a timeline for finalising candidates and policy platforms ahead of the election period. For BVI residents, the NDP's statements underscore an early start to campaigning and candidate selection.
With economic recovery, job creation and youth opportunities high on public concern, the party is emphasising local business support and sustainable development as central campaign themes. As the 2026/2027 election window approaches, the NDP will need to translate its messaging into detailed proposals that address the territory's pressing needs — from employment and cost of living pressures to support for small businesses and long-term economic resilience.
The party plans to outline those proposals and its full candidate slate at the upcoming convention, the date for which will be announced in the coming months.
Primary source: VINO