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Elvia Smith-Maduro appointed Acting Permanent Secretary in Premier’s Office

- Shares Premier's Office portfolio with Carolyn E. Stoutt-Igwe
Elvia Smith- Maduro has been appointed acting Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office, effective May 25, 2022. Photo: GIS
Elvia Smith-Maduro shares the portfolio of the Premier’s Office with Permanent Secretary, Mrs Carolyn E. Stoutt Igwe (in photo). Photo: GIS
Elvia Smith-Maduro shares the portfolio of the Premier’s Office with Permanent Secretary, Mrs Carolyn E. Stoutt Igwe (in photo). Photo: GIS
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Elvia Smith- Maduro has been appointed acting Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office.

As Acting Permanent Secretary, Mrs Smith- Maduro will be responsible for providing advice, assistance and administrative support on the formulation of policy for the ministry, its departments and the Government as a whole. She will also coordinate and manage the functions of the ministry to ensure the successful formulation and implementation of ministerial and cross-ministerial Government policies and programmes.

Mrs Smith-Maduro’s appointment came into effect on May 25, 2022. She shares the portfolio of the Premier’s Office with Permanent Secretary, Mrs Carolyn E. Stoutt Igwe, a press release from Government Information Services (GIS) stated.

'I am keen to see improvements'- Smith-Maduro

The Acting Permanent Secretary said that it has always been an honour to serve the people of the Virgin Islands in any capacity afforded to her within the Public Service.

“I am keen to see improvements in the delivery of services not only in line with the Commission of Inquiry (COI) recommendations but in areas critical to the development of the Virgin Islands and the approved Public Service Transformation Plan,” Mrs. Smith-Maduro’s said.

She said that stakeholders in the Premier’s Office are critical to the deployment of efficient services, and as such, her first priority is human resources reform to address issues affecting staff and to ensure that the team is functioning optimally knowing that their employer is supportive of their efforts and responsive to concerns.

Mrs Smith-Maduro also expressed that she is keen on optimising the tools that staff have available to aid the delivery of services and ensuring that it is easy for the public to procure Government services through Digital transformation.

“I aim to deliver on the digital transformation strategy to move us towards a more efficient Public Service. This responsibility is shared by both the Premier’s Office and the Governor’s group. We intend to work collaboratively to ensure the success of the transition and transformation,” she said.

The Acting Permanent Secretary affirmed that she will focus on quality economic development to entrepreneurship, encourage domestic and foreign investment and transform the commercial landscape of the Territory. Subsequently, she notes that regular evaluation of the economy’s performance will be critical. Thus a policy unit responsible for reviewing economic and development policies based on analysis is being established. She also acknowledged work being done to transform the Trade Department into the Virgin Islands Trade Commission to champion economic development services in the Territory.

Mrs Smith- Maduro previously held the role of Deputy Secretary in the Premier’s Office since 2013. Prior to becoming Deputy Secretary, she worked as Assistant Secretary for seven years also in the Premier’s Office.

Smith-Maduro's portfolio

Topics that fall under Mrs Smith- Maduro’s Portfolio include: Administration, Building Inspection, Building Standards, Consumer Affairs, Disaster Recovery, Economic Planning, E-Government, Electrical Inspection, Gaming, Housing, Human Resource Planning (i.e. manpower needs), Industrial Development (including incentives), Investment Promotion, Public Service Transformation, Town and Country Planning, Trade and Business, Science and Technology (including Digital Transformation), Statistics, Weights and Measures, and Private Secretaries.

Stoutt-Igwe's portfolio

Meanwhile, Mrs Stoutt Igwe is responsible for: Agriculture, Archives, Cooperatives, Coordination of Government Policy, Ecclesiastical and Religious Affairs, Financial Services, Fisheries, Food and Food Security, Immigration, Implementation of COI Recommendations, Information, International Affairs, Maritime Administration and shipping, Protocol, Regional Affairs, Statistics, Sustainable Development, Tourism and Veterinary.

24 Responses to “Elvia Smith-Maduro appointed Acting Permanent Secretary in Premier’s Office”

  • Just saying (09/09/2022, 15:31) Like (7) Dislike (8) Reply
    Poor iwege no one trust her to manage a ministry alone
    • Do not malign unfairly (12/09/2022, 07:23) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      That is a statement clothed in ignorance. The Premier has a large portfolio so therefore it is not unusual to have 2 permanent secretaries or more than one deputy Secretary to help with the load. When she was in the Premier’s previous ministry, that was also a very large portfolio. The premier also took some of his previous portfolio items to the Premier’s Office with him.
  • hmm (09/09/2022, 15:32) Like (18) Dislike (1) Reply
    THE BVI HAVE MORE ACTORS THAN HOLLYWOOD
  • VG (09/09/2022, 15:40) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    CONGRATULATIONS
  • insider (09/09/2022, 16:09) Like (11) Dislike (6) Reply

    Stoutt-Igwe made a fr*g in the Education Dept when she was the P.S. I think it is time for her to retire. She has already put in well over 25 years..

    • Insider. Totally agree. (09/09/2022, 18:07) Like (7) Dislike (20) Reply
      Totally incompetent, and for a Christian she is weak, oppressive and without courage to stand for righteousness.. That Purcell Street In Immigration also wicked people all from West. .
    • No election 202e (09/09/2022, 18:50) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
      Its obvious that this govt dont want election they will rather tbe constitution get suspended....We not seeing no real effort or move to fix the BVI or to implement the recommendations. I am surprise no real changes were made in immigration, a department tbe commission highlighted as being run badly, oppressively and continues to break the law.. Along with land and survey dept.. the commissioner express his disguss with the way those dept behave lime a law onto THEMSELVES. Yet no changed. Do the maths. No election. Constitution will get suspended by Jan.2023
    • Education department (10/09/2022, 10:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      @insider, that is the result of putting a cook to work and supervise a mechanic shop!!
    • hello (12/09/2022, 06:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Education was a mess before Stoutt-Igwe got there. Because of Igwe's decision to reverse a few decisions under who was there, Education now has a Deputy Secretary. The Premier went with Igwe because of her experience and the level of support she gives him. The Premier also left Education with a few portfolios close to his heart which Igwe oversaw. It made no sense to dump the new stuff on Smith-Maduro. Plus, the Premier's Office was constantly in need of extra support.

      What might happen next election is agriculture, fisheries, and veterinary services will return to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour. Also, Ecclesiastical and Religious Affairs will return to the Ministry of Education, Culture and Youth Affairs. Yes, those subjects were and remain important to the present Premier.

      You might not like her, but she is far too valuable as a permanent secretary at this time in our territory's transition.
      • nonsense (12/09/2022, 13:48) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
        The Ministry of Education always had a Deputy Secretary position. What nonsense are you implying here.
        • hello (14/09/2022, 20:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
          When I speak, I try to speak facts. You need to do some research. In 2015, the Deputy Secretary post was renamed Director of Planning. This happened during the CURT (Create, Upgrade, Rename, Transfer) process in 2014. So the request was made under Dr Marcia Potter in 2014, approved by HRD in 2014 and was reflected in the 2015 Budget Estimates.

          In 2019 when Carolyn Stoutt-Igwe took leadership of the Ministry of Education, she fought like a beast to get the position of Deputy Secretary reinstated. In the 2019 CURT process, she reclassified 4 Office Generalist posts to reestablish the Deputy Secretary position.

          You thought you knew, but you did not know. Every Public Servant should know to follow the Budget Estimates published annually.
  • Peaches (09/09/2022, 16:24) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is a strange turn of events... Never seen this before. Can someone please explain...
    • Appropriation (09/09/2022, 21:28) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      There are people behind the scenes who have been approaching the government to do certain things who are qualified however they do not have the correct surname. So they are being ignored while their work is being appropriated however only a master can be the mastermind. Everyone else are puppets. But good luck to them all.
  • ????? (09/09/2022, 18:08) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
    Did her name came up in the COI. ? I'm not sure, Just asking...Then again, it's hard to find real honest, compassionate and courages people in this place...
  • Xxx (09/09/2022, 20:30) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Lawd they knocking about iweg
  • flUffy (09/09/2022, 20:51) Like (4) Dislike (3) Reply
    iTS ABOUT TIME...CONGRATULATIONS ELVIA .( ITS ABOUT TIME CAROLYN GO HOME. ABOUT TIME!! )
    ..
  • one eye (09/09/2022, 21:02) Like (1) Dislike (3) Reply
    Igwe should get the message by now!!!
  • jah (09/09/2022, 21:24) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    Another waist of money..why are we putting people in ministerial position that doesn't have the ability to make decisions for themselves in a small island as the bvi,how stupid are the people who elect those to power, it seems the elector just looking friend or are relatives..open your eyes and eliminates unwanted spending and spend it in the education sector,,who government sign contracts for a new high school,primary school is priority before secondary and high..tola has a backward thinking government...high is going to be built and name after the highest donor.that is the reason their money never spent on other schools because it was already named.
  • Lb (09/09/2022, 22:11) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    Why is Elvia acting? Why do we keep putting people as acting? Give the darned people the job with a probation period like regular workplaces? This damned acting acting acting. Yo must stahp it! Stahp this foolishness!
  • VI Proud (10/09/2022, 07:08) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congratulations Elvia
  • honest (10/09/2022, 10:49) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    Carolyn is an honest woman. I bet you won’t hear her name calling with any misappropriation of money in the Premier’s Office.
    I’m waiting for the internal audit of the Premier’s office. I hope the actor can handle the findings.
    Leave Carolyn alone. It’s people like her we need.
  • look (10/09/2022, 15:13) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    She is not trustworthy and is very dishonest ......I have no idea y they keep putting these people at the top..degrees does not mean you are qualified... you have to be a people person for this job...its just sickening now...and she aint no Christian you can see it in her everyday life.
  • Now I Understand why.... (10/09/2022, 19:56) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Now I understand why the service at the Immigration Department is so bad.... we put people in positions who sit on the sidelines and do not a clue about the day-to-day happenings in the offices. That Immigration Department needs a good shaking up... the staff are more concerned about Authority than Service to the Public. They treat people with much disrespect just by the mere fact that they have persons sitting or standing in long lines for hours.... no sense of urgency.......they hardly answer the phones....and when they do pray that you get someone who is courteous ....... the service standards are very, very low.... now I understand why


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