Dancia Penn
Encyclopedia
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, QC
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
(born 1951) is a British Virgin Islands politician and former deputy governor
Deputy Governor
A Deputy governor is a gubernatorial official who is subordinated to a governor, rather like a Lieutenant governor.-British colonial cases:In the British empire, there were such colonial offices in :...
of the British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands, often called the British Virgin Islands , is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S...
from September 20, 2004 to April 1, 2007. She also formerly served as the Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
of the British Virgin Islands from 1992 to 1999.
Penn 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
Governor of the British Virgin Islands
The Governor of the British Virgin Islands is the representative of the British monarch in the United Kingdom's overseas territory of British Virgin Islands. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
during 2006 in the gap between Tom Macan
Tom Macan
Thomas Townley Macan was educated at Shrewsbury School and the University of Sussex, where he was President of the Student Union. He was Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the British Virgin Islands, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the Caribbean Sea, from 14 October 2002 to 10...
leaving office and David Pearey
David Pearey
David Pearey was the Governor of the British Virgin Islands from 18 April 2006 to 5 August 2010. He was appointed by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the British government, to represent the Queen in the territory, and to act as the de facto head of state.Prior to his appointment as Governor,...
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 2007, Penn announced her candidacy, standing in the 8th district in the General Election held on 20 August 2007
British Virgin Islands general election, 2007
The British Virgin Islands general election, 2007 was held in the British Virgin Islands on 20 August 2007. The result was a landslide victory for the opposition Virgin Islands Party over the incumbent National Democratic Party ....
in the British Virgin Islands. She was elected to office, defeating the incumbent Lloyd Black, and she was appointed the Minister of Heath and Welfare, and as the Deputy Premier of the British Virgin Islands. In the General Election held on 7 November 2011
British Virgin Islands general election, 2011
The British Virgin Islands general election, 2011 was held in the British Virgin Islands on 7 November 2011. The result was a decisive victory for the opposition National Democratic Party led by Orlando Smith over the incumbent Virgin Islands Party , led by Premier Ralph T. O'Neal...
she lost her 8th district seat to Marlon Penn.
There had been considerable speculation after the 2007 that when the then Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Ralph T. O'Neal
Ralph T. O'Neal
Ralph Telford O'Neal, OBE is the former Premier of the British Virgin Islands, and is expected to be appointed as the leader of the opposition...
retired, Penn would be named as his successor as leader of the Virgin Islands Party
Virgin Islands Party (British Virgin Islands)
The Virgin Islands Party is a political party in the British Virgin Islands, led by Premier Ralph T. O'Neal.The Virgin Islands Party has held power in the British Virgin Islands for all except for 15 years since the adoption of the modern Legislative Council in 1967. It was originally formed by...
(VIP), and would thereby become the first female Premier in the Territory. Her defeat in the 2011 election appears likely to preclude (or at least defer) that possibility.
In 2007, Penn took up a temporary appointment as an acting judge of the Court of Appeal of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court
The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is a superior Court of record for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States , including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and three British...
. She was required to give up that appointment shortly after formally entering politics as a candidate.