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Premier’s Office stripped itself of many subjects- 2012 Report

-some five subjects transferred from Premier’s Office to other Ministries
The Premier, Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith, transferred the Ellis Thomas Downs (right) to the Ministry of Education and Culture and also gave up the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park to the Ministry of Communications and Works to be run by the Office of the City Manager. Photo: VINO/File
The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (left) was released from the Premier’s Office portfolio to the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Social Security Board was turned over to the Ministry of Health and Social Development. This was confirmed in the Premier’s Office 2012 annual report. No reasons were given for the transfers. Photo: VINO/File
The H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (left) was released from the Premier’s Office portfolio to the Ministry of Education and Culture and the Social Security Board was turned over to the Ministry of Health and Social Development. This was confirmed in the Premier’s Office 2012 annual report. No reasons were given for the transfers. Photo: VINO/File
The Office of City Manager was removed from the Premier’s Office and transferred to the Ministry of Communications and Works. According to the 2012 Premier’s Office Annual report, Dr. Smith stripped himself of some five subjects that had traditionally been under the portfolio of the Chief Minister/Premier’s Office. Photo: VINO/File
The Office of City Manager was removed from the Premier’s Office and transferred to the Ministry of Communications and Works. According to the 2012 Premier’s Office Annual report, Dr. Smith stripped himself of some five subjects that had traditionally been under the portfolio of the Chief Minister/Premier’s Office. Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- According to the 2012 Annual Report from the Premier’s Office, some five subjects have been removed from the Premier’s Office (PO) and placed within different Ministries of Government.

The report was laid in the House of Assembly on July 25, 2013 by Premier and Leader of Government Business Dr. the Honourable  D. Orlando Smith.

Statutory/Departments/Units removed from PO

In 2012 the BVI Social Security Board was removed as one of the Premier’s subjects and transferred to the Ministry of Health and Social Development. Hon. Ronnie W. Skelton is now the new Minister for Social Security.

Further, according to the 2012 Premier’s Office report, the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College was removed from the Premier’s Office to the Ministry of Education and Culture making Hon. Myron V. Walwyn the Minister responsible for the college.

The Internal Audit Unit, a subject under the Premier’s Office, was also taken away and placed under the Ministry of Finance, stated the report.

Wickhams Cay/City Manager/Ellis Thomas Downs all removed from PO

Premier Smith also gave up a subject that for years was under the Office of the Premier- the Wickhams Cay Development Authority. The last time it was removed from the Premier’s Office was between the 2003-2007 National Democratic Party (NDP) Administration where it was given to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour.

Following the 2007 elections that saw the Virgin Islands Party Government back in government, it was returned to the Office of the Premier. Now, according to the 2012 report, the Wickhams Cay Development Authority is now with the Ministry of Communications and Works as well as the Office of the City Manager.

According to the report, the handover of the Wickhams Cay Development Authority to the Ministry of Communications and Works “was not seamless as there were many personnel changes within the Ministry of Communications and Works to whom information had to be resent and further communication was required for several weeks before everything settled down.”

Premier Smith also surrendered the Ellis Thomas Downs portfolio to the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2012.

The 2012 PO report also stated that the subject of the Noel Lloyd Positive Action Movement Park was handed over from the Premier’s Office to the City Manager’s Office of the Ministry of Communications and Works.

It is important to note that the subjects could not have been removed unless the Premier agreed to their relocation.

No reasons were given in the PO 2012 annual report as to why the Premier decided to strip his Office of so many subjects or whether they would be more effective and efficient at the newly assigned Ministries. 

18 Responses to “Premier’s Office stripped itself of many subjects- 2012 Report”

  • ABC (11/08/2013, 09:50) Like (22) Dislike (2) Reply
    Just another demonstration that Dr. Smith is not inchanged of the government
    • think (11/08/2013, 10:59) Like (10) Dislike (58) Reply
      There were too many subject matters under the Premier's Office and had nothing to do with the present minister. The subjects removed were quite properly places within the respective ministries. Good going Premier's Office!
      • @ think (11/08/2013, 17:57) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
        All of a sudden ayo want subjects move because it’s the best thing since bake bread...another attempt to show up the incompetence of the Leader and the NDP...You all must think we stupid.
    • @ABC (11/08/2013, 11:08) Like (1) Dislike (24) Reply
      Learn how to spell your statmenet makes no sense
    • zoe (11/08/2013, 12:48) Like (9) Dislike (2) Reply
      i do not mind the ss under ronnie and the college under myon but lawd orlando hold on to wickhams cay and the race track if you know what is good for you
  • ooooo (11/08/2013, 10:49) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    ayo put wickham's cay development under mark?
    • the rock (11/08/2013, 22:44) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      is it not in his district..who should they put it under..tell me nut head!
  • . (11/08/2013, 10:51) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Rats minding cheese
  • school children (11/08/2013, 10:56) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    Is the chief really the chief??
  • rat race (11/08/2013, 11:32) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    Horse race gone down hill under myron what a shame!
    • ccc (11/08/2013, 14:49) Like (17) Dislike (1) Reply
      i agree the man Myron even failed to admit the horses broke dem foot because of the bad track surface
  • nbc (11/08/2013, 13:22) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    What Dr. Smith is doing could have been viewed as positive thinking but to give them to Mark and Myron? But again, he may be attempting to escape the scene bit by bit and soon he would be history.
  • Migoman (11/08/2013, 15:06) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    ANOTHER REASON WHY THIS GOVERNMENT DAYS ARE NUMBERED. LAST TIME WHEN dR. Smith GIVE AWAY THE WHOLE ministry OF finance TO Ronnie YOU SEE WHAT went down at the elections... NOW HERE WE GO AGAIN HE GIVING AWAY SO MUCH OF HIS SUBJECTS TO MYRON AND MARK...HISTORY WILL REPEAT ITSELF COME NEXT ELECTIONS
  • Inquiring Minds (11/08/2013, 17:19) Like (14) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who is running this country? Do we have more chiefs than indians?
    • the power (11/08/2013, 18:59) Like (0) Dislike (3) Reply
      The civil servants are running the country; gaskin, bow tie, inez, Niel, anthony, and jullian d
  • ndp fan club (11/08/2013, 19:23) Like (0) Dislike (13) Reply
    Good move doc give tcp to dr pickering and lobor to immegration to myron let's do tis ting
  • vex (11/08/2013, 21:07) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    nothing new here


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