Ms. Ethlyn Eugenie Smith, the fifth of nine children, was bom to the late
     Ernest and Gladys Smith of Huntums Ghut, Tortola on 23rd April 1940.
     
     Ms. Smith received her primary and secondary education in the Territory, and in 1968 graduated
      with an Associate of Arts Degree in Accounting from the College (now University) of the Virgin
      Islands.
     
     She pursued higher education at Wandsworth Technical College, London and the University of
     Calgary, Alberta, Canada, from which she graduated in 1970 with a Bachelor of Commerce
     Degree in Accounting. In 1983 she became a Hubert Humphrey Fellow and attended
     Pennsylvania State University for one year. While there she took courses in the Masters Degree
     Programme in Public Administration and received the Diploma in Public Administration. She
     holds a Certificate in Management for Change from the Manitoba Institute of Manitoba Institute
     of Management which she received in 1987, and a Certificate in Real Estate Management from
     Caldewell Bankers in 1992.
     
     Ms Smith began a civil service career in 1960 as a clerical trainee, and rose to the level of
     Permanent Secretary. In 1970 she was appointed to the position of Accountant General, the first
     woman to hold that post. Her appointment as Permanent Secretary was made in May 1976 to the
     Ministry of Communications and Works. In 1989 she was transferred to the Ministry of Natural
     Resources and Labour from which she retired in 1992.
     
     Ms. Smith has travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean and on the four continents.
     She delights in meeting people and likes traveling, gardening, reading, sports, and singing.
     
     Much of Ms. Smith's time has been given to community pursuits with organisations such as the
     Community Singers, Beautification Committee, BVI Festival Committee, the Girl Guides, cricket
     and netball leagues, and the Boys Brigade.
     
     In 1995 Ms. Smith entered the realm of politics and became the first woman to be elected in the
     February 1995 election. She sat as the Member for the Fifth Electoral District and as a Member of the
     Opposition in the Thirteenth Legislative Council. As a legislator, Ms. Smith has had the opportunity
     to attend the 41st, 42nd and 43rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conferences in
     Sri Lanka 1995, Malaysia 1996, and Mauritius 1997. She has also attended a
     Regional Conference in the Turks and Caicos Islands and made parliamentary visits to the Channel
     Islands, Jersey, Guernsey, and Gibraltar.
     
     In 1999 Ms. Smith again contested the May 1999 General Elections and was victorious at the polls,
     thus making her the Member for the Fifth Electoral District for the second time. Again she sat as a
     member of the Opposition until July 2000, when she became Minister for Health and Welfare. Ms.
      Smith was the only member of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) to gain a seat in the
     Fourteenth Legislative Council.
     During the June 16th, 2003 election she ran as a Virgin Islands Party member and lost by 3 Votes to newcomer Mrs. Delores Christopher.
     
     The Hon.Ethlyn had responsbility for the
     following subjects as Minister of health and Welfare during the 14th Legislature.
     
     
     
     Health and Welfare
     Community health
     Hospital Services
     Social Development
     Prison
     Solid Waste