For the WWI ace aviator, see Ralph Ambrose O'Neill

Ralph Ambrose O'Neill

Ralph Ambrose O'Neill was a flying ace from World War I credited with five aerial victories.He entered the United States Air Service in August 1917. In March 1918, he was assigned to the 147th Aero Squadron, flying the Nieuport 28 and the SPAD S.XIII...

Ralph Telford O'Neal, OBE

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...

 (born 15 December 1933) is the former Premier of the British Virgin Islands, and is expected to be appointed as the leader of the opposition. He was the first person to be appointed to the newly titled office by the Governor

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...

 on 22 August 2007 under 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...

 constitution

Constitution

A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...

 adopted in 2007 after leading 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...

 to a landslide victory

Landslide victory

In politics, a landslide victory is the victory of a candidate or political party by an overwhelming margin in an election...

 in the 2007 general election

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 ....

 two days earlier. He rescinded the position on 7 November 2011 after the Virgin Islands Party lost its majority following the 2011 general elections.

Ralph O'Neal has also served a previous term as Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands (as the office was referred to under the old constitution) from 1995 (on the death of Lavity Stoutt

Lavity Stoutt

Hamilton Lavity Stoutt was the first and longest serving Chief Minister of the British Virgin Islands, winning four general elections and serving three non-consecutive terms of office from 1967 to 1971, again from 1981 to 1983 and again from 1986 until his death in 1995.Since Stoutt's death in...

). He won the next election in 1999

British Virgin Islands general election, 1999

The British Virgin Islands general election, 1999 was held in the British Virgin Islands on 17 May 1999. The result was a victory for the incumbent Virgin Islands Party led by Chief Minister Ralph T...

, but then subsequently became Leader of the Opposition in the 2003 General Elections, and has held a seat in the House of Assembly, formerly the Legislative Council

Legislative Council of the British Virgin Islands

The House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, until 2007 known as the Legislative Council, has 15 members; 13 directly elected for four year terms—nine in single-seat constituencies and four "at large"—one ex-officio member and one Speaker chosen from outside the house.The first...

 continuously since 1971.

He was educated at University of Oxford

University of Oxford

The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

where he studied Economics. He is also property owner and developer in the British Virgin Islands. Apart from his property investments, O'Neal has had a number of other commercial interests during his life before serving in the House of Assembly under the Ralph O'Neal Group of Companies.