U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS—Six more members of the Bryan /Roach Administration’s Cabinet took the Oath of Office Tuesday at Government House in Christiansted, underscoring Governor Albert Bryan Jr.’s pledge to stabilize the V.I. Government.
As he did at Monday’s ceremony, Governor Bryan charged his Cabinet with being agents of change.
“You have to be bold enough to take steps where people haven’t stepped before. Do not worry about failure and know that tomorrow is another day,” he said. “I know that you’ve been cleaning your departments and arranging and trying to recruit people and get the system going. But remember, the people are hungry. They want change, and they want it now. So as we put these departments together remember the whole community is counting on you.”
Standing before Superior Court Judge Robert Molloy, the five newest members of the Cabinet owed to faithfully execute the responsibilities of their office with integrity, transparency and in the best interests of the people of the Territory.
They were:
- Agriculture Commissioner Positive T.A. Nelson
- Labor Commissioner Gary Molloy
- Health Commissioner Justa E. Encarnacion
- Internal Revenue Bureau Director Joel A. Lee
- Motor Vehicles Bureau Director Barbara Jackson-McIntosh
- Virgin Islands Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming
“You have to be where the buck stops. You have to be the decision-maker,” Governor Bryan told his new Cabinet members. “As a good supervisor once told me, ‘Just make a decision.’ It might be the wrong one. It probably is the right one. But certainly, make a decision. Don’t be afraid. One of the things I hired you for is that you are bold.”
On Monday, V.I. Supreme Court Chief Justice Rhys Hodge administered the Oath of Office to 12 other members of the Cabinet at the University of the Virgin Islands on St. Thomas:
- Finance Commissioner Kirk Callwood Sr.
- Attorney General Denise N. George Esq.
- OMB Director Jenifer C. O’Neal
- Education Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin
- Public Works Commissioner Nelson Petty Jr.
- Property and Procurement Commissioner Anthony D. Thomas
- Tourism Commissioner Joseph B. Boschulte
- DPNR Commissioner Jean-Pierre L. Oriol
- Personnel Director Dayna M. Clendinen
- V.I. Fire Service Director Daryl A. George Sr.
- Bureau of Corrections Director Wynnie Testamark
- Veterans Affairs Director Patrick Farrell
During his remarks at Monday’s swearing-in ceremony, Lt. Governor Tregenza Roach shared with the audience examples of collaboration with various government department and entities in working together to assist members of the community with various needs effectively.
“One of the ways in which we are going to move this Territory forward is by recognizing that any one problem belongs to all of us, and we must conduct ourselves in a way where we are not perceiving one another and departments to be separate entities but rather working together and putting all of our resources and talents together to work in the interest of the people of the Virgin Islands,” the Lt. Governor said.
Office of Collective Bargaining Chief Negotiator Designee Joss Springette will be sworn-in at a later date.
Several other key Cabinet positions remain unresolved. V.I. Territorial Emergency Management Agency Director nominee Daryl Jaschen appeared before the Senate Rules and Judiciary Committee last week. Human Services Commissioner Nominee Kimberley Causey-Gomez and DLCA Commissioner Nominee Richard Evangelista are scheduled to appear before the Rules Committee on Thursday, according to the office of Sen. Janelle Sarauw, the committee chairwoman.
Cabinet nominees still awaiting an appearance before the 33rd Legislature are:
- Sports Parks and Recreation Commissioner Nominee Calvert White
- V.I. Police Commissioner Nominee Trevor Velinor
- Adjutant General Nominee Col. Kodjo Knox-Limbacker
- Bureau of Information Technology Director Nominee Rupert O. Ross
- V.I. Lottery Director Nominee Raymond Williams.
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From left, DPNR Commissioner J.P. L. Oriol; V.I. Fire Service Director Daryl A. George Sr.; Tourism Commissioner Joseph B. Boschulte; Property and Procurement Commissioner Anthony D. Thomas; Personnel Director Dayna Clendinen; Education Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin; V.I. Attorney General Denise N. George Esq.; Governor Albert Bryan Jr.; Lt. Governor Tregenza A. Roach; the Rev. Dr. Winelle Kirton-Roberts, head pastor of Memorial Moravian Church; Public Works Commissioner Nelson Petty Jr.; Finance Commissioner Kirk Callwood Sr.; OMB Director Jenifer C. O’Neal; Bureau of Corrections Director Wynnie Testamark; and Veterans Affairs Director Patrick Farrell following Monday’s Swearing-in Ceremony on St. Thomas.