Ms. James at her office. Photo: VINO.

Working in the field. Photo: submitted.

Heather James, who holds the position since 2004, is a quick-witted career woman and her drive to give 100 percent to her job stems from knowing that her contribution to the core functions of the Ministry promotes the development of the Territory.

“In addition, the constant interaction with external customers has made my job worthwhile,” she said with a smile.

Sitting at her desk with a ‘mountain’ of paper work to sift through, Ms. James reminisced on what prompted her to take up the position as Administrative Officer.

“I was made an offer to obtain training in this field by my previous boss,” she disclosed.

At her current job, Ms. James is also responsible for handling Land Disputes and Mediation, which are core parts of her job description. A highlight of her job is that she is currently contributing towards the preparation of a Land Policy, which seeks to govern the management of Crown Land in the Virgin Islands.

“A more integral aspect of my duties includes the preparation of Valuation Reports for Property on behalf of the various agencies within the Government Sector. As a point of clarification, the agencies that I make reference to are the Ministries within the Government,” she added.

Prior to working at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, this young professional began her working career in 1999 in the Public Sector.

“During that period, I have held positions as Clerical Officer (Anegada Lands), Personal Assistant to the Permanent Secretary, Administrative Officer (Seabed Unit) and present Administrative Officer (Lands Unit). As you can see, I have been exposed to a plethora of areas as it relates to Estate Management for both land and marine.  I was also afforded the opportunity to carry out the duties of Assistant Secretary for a 4-6 month period in 2005, while the officer was on extended leave,” she recalled.

Despite loving what she does, Ms. James’ ultimate goal is to become a Land Administrator for the Government of the Virgin Islands.

She explained at that level she will be able to advise the Government on matters pertaining to the management of Crown Land in the Virgin Islands. According to her, it will allow them to make informed decisions that will be in the best interest of the Territory.

“It is also my goal to apply the skills in which I have worked tirelessly to achieve by contributing to the advancement of the procedures and practices within the sector. At the end of the day, I believe this is the reason why I was granted the opportunity to understudy this specialized area within the Public Service,” she noted.

For Ms. James, change is a good thing, but she never places all her eggs in one basket.

“Wherever my destiny should lead me in life that’s where I will be.  I have always made decisions for myself in the past, and so I am allowing God to make the next decision for me,” the proud Virgin Islander added.

Academically, Ms. James is a highly qualified and brilliant woman. Her academia begun at the Althea Scatliffe Primary School, but she was later transferred to the Ivan Dawson Primary School where she graduated Valedictorian in 1993.

After that, she continued her studies at the then BVI High School now Elmore Stoutt High School.

“After graduation, I worked for a short stint in the Public Service before proceeding on study-leave where I obtained Bachelors of Business Administration with major in Management and minored in Human Resources Management, Magna Cum Laude,” she divulged. “My return to the public service lasted a mere three years before returning to the life of academia. I pursued a Bachelors of Science Degree in Land Management (Hons) in the United Kingdom.  Currently, I am pursuing a Masters of Science Degree with a concentration in Project Management.”

These glowing accomplishments for this young professional can be attributed to her assertiveness. Ms. James describes herself as a woman who is determined to live life to the fullest.

With a grin she admitted, “In reality, I have considered myself to be a realist.  My family often refers to me as a pessimist – one who sees the difficulty in every opportunity and sees the opportunity in any difficulty.”

Though she is not married, she opened up that she has a “very supportive significant other” that she has been with for the past eight years.

“One thing he has always taught me is that you can have all the riches in life but without someone to share them with is not a life worth living. In my life, I believe that I have been blessed twice.  One with the abundance of encouragement from both parents and secondly my soul mate to keep me grounded,” she revealed.

As for her goals in life, Ms James, who considers herself to be a spirited person, wants to become more involved in humanitarian work.  At the moment, she is an incoming member of the Lions Club of Tortola.

“Through this venture, I endeavour to assist the underprivileged on a global perspective, more importantly, help those less fortunate to have an opportunity to make a stride to a better way of life,” she added.

When asked if she sees herself as a role model for young women, Ms. James laughed and replied, “No.”

But her advice for them is “to appreciate and respect themselves”.

She added, “You must always set goals for yourself and try to become independent in achieving those goals.  Life owes you nothing - do not allow anyone to set limits on what you deserve but instead try to rise to the occasion.  We all have one life to live and we must leave this earth leaving a mark imprinted on the lives of others. Everyone cannot be rich, famous or beautiful but one thing ladies are given, is the ability to set standards for themselves.  Try not to be risk adverse but sometimes do take risks because disappointments in life will allow us to become stronger and wiser to the journey that lies ahead.”