Minister for Health and Social Development, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley has said that his ministry’s planning day was successful as it seeks to be proactive and identify issues as it relate to health and social services.

 Honourable Wheatley said the planning day also looked at possible challenges the ministry might face to ensure timely action is taken before problems reach a crisis level. The minister stated that if the ministry fails to plan then it is setting itself up to not meet the needs of the people of the Virgin Islands.

Honourable Wheatley said, “Strategic planning provides us with the structure to make daily decisions that follow our larger vision for the ministry and the Territory. It creates a direction for us to practice and maximise our options in ensuring the Virgin Islands is positioned in a way to improve our health and social services.”

Meanwhile, Acting Permanent Secretary Ms. Tasha Bertie, said the ministry was able to gather its entire department heads together to work on a multi-year roadmap for addressing priority initiatives that play crucial roles in supporting and enhancing the quality and efficacy of health and social services in the Territory.

 Ms. Bertie said, “A lot was accomplished over the two-day session. We set the stage for all that the ministry is to cover in the next four years. We are here to build something for the long term, but planning without the process of implementation is nothing more than a wish list.”

The Acting Permanent Secretary added, “During the two days, we reinvigorated the ministry’s vision and identified smart objectives for each of our departments, linking them to performance monitoring, reporting, and evaluation. We are therefore encouraged that we and the VI Public will see some tangible changes in our service delivery.”

The Ministry of Health and Social Development remains committed to improve the health and social well-being of the people of the Virgin Islands. Providing leadership that promotes health, social well-being, and a safe environment