Twenty-Five Years of Ministerial Government: The Socio-Economic Context

As the twentieth century marched into second quarter, the economic activity of the British Virgin Islands consisted of small-scale agriculture, fishing, charcoal production, and livestock, with continuing dependence on the markets of the United Stated Virgin Islands for BVI produce and labour. By the 1960's however; commentators note the increasing flight of young people from agriculture as a way of life. Agriculture was fast becoming "subsidiary to wage earning occupations and to trades" (Faulkner 1962:5