John Williams

John Williams and his wife Sonia have been in the British Virgin Islands since 1978. They currently live in Pasea Estate (where they have been for twenty years or so) but have also resided in the Prospect Reef apartments and several locations in the Hodge’s Creek, Maya Cove, and Paraquita Bay area of Tortola.

John, a Welshman who hails from Liverpool, UK, retired after sixteen years in the British Army (as a Major) at 37 years old. He saw a long stretch of his life still ahead of him, and not wanting to go into a more traditional retirement mode (e.g. running a pub), he and his wife answered an advert that was soliciting managers for the Ample Hamper (which was owned by Robert Dick Read and his wife). They were successful in their application and signed up for a year in Tortola.

After the year was up they looked for other opportunities, and after considering several offers, subsequently went into partnership with Ian Taylor and his wife Irene (and one other person) in Caribbean Insurers Ltd. (founded in 1973) and Island Services BVI Ltd (in existence since 1965). For the past thirty years John has been with C.I.L. (where he is now Chairman and Chief Executive Officer [CEO]), while Sonia has run Island Services. When he joined C.I.L. there were Ian and three staff. The company now occupies the whole of the ‘Mirage’ building, with a large staff, in downtown Roadtown on Wickham’s Cay I. As C.I.L.’s website says: “We are the leading insurance agency in the BVI. We offer a wide range of insurance services for your home, car, family and financial stability, and are prized for our fast claims settlement.”

Tortola has been transformed over the past thirty years, and John Williams has “great faith” in the way the BVI system has evolved. For John one of the most important changes has been the development of the offshore finance industry. He attributes much of the success of this industry to Robert Mathavious, Managing Director and CEO of the BVI Financial Services Commission, and a driving force in the financial services industry. The growth of financial services may be largely invisible in the BVI cultural landscape, but has had had huge positive financial implications and spin offs for the country. Although it has had some challenges in the past two years it has been extremely important in bringing financial stability and prosperity to the BVI. Currently there are moves in (for instance) the USA and Europe that might threaten the success and even existence of some of the offshore financial centres around the world. But John is convinced that the financial services in the BVI have been so well carefully developed and so well run that they will not be negatively affected by these potential changes.

Another major change has been the birth and growth of the Social Services network in the BVI, which has helped to enrich the quality of life for people in the BVI, and helped ensure their future stability. The network provides pensions, health care, senior citizens’ housing etc.

A third improvement has been the founding and development of the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College. The College is an important part of the present educational system in the BVI, and will play a significant role in the future of the country. John served on the Board of Governors of the College for several years, and still regularly attends its functions.

Another important development was the decision to use the US dollar as the BVI unit of currency. Although this change came about before John arrived in the BVI, it has, he believes been a major positive influence on the economy. He also cites the inclusion of “at large” positions in the BVI government as a “healthy feature”, and the continued development of a middle class in the country, in part as a result of having a large workforce in government, as an important sign of maturity within the contemporary world.

Although John does have great faith in the evolution of the “BVI system”, he recognises that the country still has challenges. The current immigration rules, for instance still need to be sorted out, as the present state of affairs probably “doesn’t satisfy anybody”. Somehow the interests of both the belongers, who may feel threatened by the influx of expats, and the expats, who are contributing to the economy and the country, have to be reconciled. “Influence” is still important in the government and economy of the country, but this will change as the country grows and develops. The development of the BVI into a relatively wealthy, modern-day, global country has led to a lot of cultural change in the islands, not all of which is seen as positive, and this is still likely to lead to adjustments in society in the future.

Although John feels that he would change little or nothing that he has achieved in the BVI, he acknowledges that the world of finance and insurance has changed considerably since the 1970s, and that, ironically perhaps, a present-day John Williams would probably not be recruited into a company such as C.I.L. the way he was.

The Williams’ have made numerous contributions to the BVI in their thirty-plus years stay. This includes several committees and a long-term involvement in the Rotary Club. John is particularly pleased with his family’s contribution to swimming. John and Sonia have been teaching swimming throughout their time in the BVI (as well as in his previous life in the British Army in Northern Ireland), and recently set up a $50,000 scholarship to encourage teachers in the promotion and teaching of swimming in their schools.

John and Sonia were in the first group of expats who were made citizens of the BVI (after being here about ten years) and they later became belongers. They have no intention of leaving the BVI - which is their home - but do hope to get the best of both worlds by traveling more after their retirement from business life.

First draft of February 26th 2010, of interview of February 24th 2010.
Second draft of March 14th, of interviews of February 24th and March 12th, 2010.