Honourable Kye Rymer
 Minister For Transportation, Works And Utilities
Statement On Appointment As Deputy Premier Of The Virgin Islands

JUNE 6, 2019

A pleasant Virgin Islands good morning to everyone.

It is an honour, way beyond any expectations that I ever had, to stand here today to take the oath of the office of Deputy Premier.

To God be the glory great things He has done.

I would also like to recognize my wife Suzanne, my two daughters Seriya and Koiya, my mother, who is here with me today, my grandparents, my mother in law, friends, families, neighbours of the Fifth District and the entire Territory this morning.

I cannot forget my Honourable Premier, Andrew A. Fahie; you have held me up on your shoulders, you have pushed me forward, you have inspired me, and I am grateful for you being a mentor to me.

You are responsible for bringing me to this momentous point in my life and I dedicate this appointment to you, Honourable Premier.

As I go back to when we first started conversations about me running for office, I never saw it in my future. I told you Premier that I will make you proud, as at that stage I was calling you Premier from then, do you remember that?

Premier I will continue to make you proud, and to make the people of this Territory proud and serve you with integrity.

The experts have said,

“Good leaders have followers but great leaders make more leaders.”

This is what we are seeing in this radical approach that the Honourable Premier has implemented in our Government.

Our Premier is grooming us, he is grooming me, and my ministerial colleagues, he is preparing us for leadership roles in the future.

It speaks volumes, of a leader when they are not afraid of the persons around them growing, so much that they are the ones who are driving and pushing the growth.

Honourable Premier, I can assure you that I will utilize my tenure in the post of Deputy Premier to learn as much as I can and to sharpen my leadership and ministerial skills.

Ladies and gentlemen, many persons have all kinds of things to say about the innovative approaches that this government is taking on a lot of matters.

Many are trying to measure us using the same yardstick that they used with past administrations.

But it’s not that simple.

You see, this government is charting a new course.

The premier just said it, and he said it back then, we are an unconventional government, in an unconventional time, doing unconventional things.

We are going into waters that no one has gone in before.

And as we venture on, our bond as a government is strengthened.

We are working as a team... 

And as members of any team, it’s recognized that with every link you strengthen in the chain, that chain becomes stronger.

So we are glad to have this rotation of appointments for this post as Deputy Premier.

We are glad to see each other get the opportunity to grow. Because we know that every time we make another rotation, the government only gets stronger and we become more efficient and more effective and capable of delivering to the people of these beautiful Virgin Islands.

I wish to thank the people of the Virgin Islands, and in particular, my friends and neighbors of the Fifth District.

Premier, again, I thank you for the trust and confidence that you have instilled in me and I look forward to seeing my Virgin Islands grow from strength to strength as this Government’s good work, bear fruit.

I say thank you.