Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. held his final swearing-in ceremony today, officially filling out his administration’s 29-member Cabinet, which has been charged with moving forward his transformative agenda to stabilize the Virgin Islands government and restore public trust and to rebuild and sustain a vibrant economy.
“This is the final round of people we are swearing-in, and it’s a time of great transition for us as a Cabinet,” Bryan said. “People look at ‘change course now’ as a physical change, but it’s a mental change. It’s an attitude change. It’s a policy change. It’s a whole different vibe of government coming to life in the Virgin Islands. We’re looking ahead to all we have to do.”
During the ceremony, which was attended by all Cabinet officials, Gov. Bryan told his Cabinet that the honeymoon phase of the transition into government leadership was coming to an end.
“Now we got to start pushing because we are settled in now,” he told his Cabinet. “Now is the time to get things done. This is a time of doing. Our job is to make the Virgin Islands better for everyone who lives and who comes here.”
Lt. Gov. Tregenza Roach thanked the newly sworn-in members for stepping forward to serve and encouraged them to work closely with fellow Cabinet members to accomplish their goals.
“We get so much work done when we work as a team than when we create our own silos,” Roach said.
The governor also thanked the 33rd Legislature of the Virgin Islands for approving every one of his nominees to hold Cabinet-level positions, for the first time in recent history. President of the 33rd Legislature, Sen. Novelle Francis Jr., attended the ceremony as well as Sen. Kenneth Gittens.
At the ceremony held at Government House on St. Croix, seven designees placed their hand on a Bible and raised their right hand to take the oath of office before Presiding Judge of the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands Harold Willocks.
The newly sworn-in commissioners and directors are:
Trevor Velinor, Police commissioner
Kimberley Causey-Gomez, Human Services commissioner
Richard Evangelista, Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs commissioner
Kodjo Knox Limbacker, Adjutant General of the Virgin Islands National Guard
Rupert Ross, Bureau of the Information Technology director
Daryl Jaschen, Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency director
Raymond Williams, V.I. Lottery executive director
Each commissioner and director delivered brief remarks, reflecting on their decision to serve at the highest levels of government and stated their commitment to serving the people of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Both Roach and Bryan also delivered remarks encouraging the new Cabinet members to make teamwork a hallmark of the service.
Cabinet members previously sworn-in are:
Finance Commissioner Kirk Callwood
Attorney General Denise George
Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O’Neal
Education Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin
Public Works Commissioner Nelson Petty Jr.
Sports, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Calvert White
Property and Procurement Commissioner Anthony Thomas
Tourism Commissioner Joseph Boschulte
Agriculture Commissioner Positive Nelson
Labor Commissioner Gary Molloy
Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion
Department of Planning and Natural Resources Commissioner Jean-Pierre Oriol
Personnel Director Dayna Clendinen
Office of Collective Bargaining Chief Negotiator Joss Springette
Internal Revenue Bureau Director Joel Lee
V.I. Fire Service Director Daryl George Sr.
Bureau of Motor Vehicles Director Barbara Jackson McIntosh
Bureau of Corrections Director Wynnie Testamark
Office of Veterans Affairs Director Patrick Farrell
Office of Disaster Recovery Director Adrienne Williams-Octalien
V.I. Energy Office Director Kyle Fleming
Law Enforcement Planning Commission Director Ray Martinez
