Statement
REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
HONOURABLE CARVIN MALONE
DURING THE SWEARING IN CEREMONY
AS DEPUTY PREMIER OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
TUESDAY 17TH DECEMBER 2019
Your Excellency Governor Augustus J. U. Jaspert; Premier, Minister for Finance & District 1 Representative, Hon. Andrew A. Fahie; Minister for Natural Resources, Work Force Development and Immigration and District 9 Representative; Hon. Vincent O. Wheatley; Minister for Transportation, Works and Utilities and District 5 Representative; Hon. Kye M. Rymer; Minister for Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries and Agriculture and District 7 Representative, Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley; Jr. Minister for Tourism & Territorial At-Large Representative, Hon. Sharie B. de Castro; My wife & Minister of Home Affairs, Mrs. Pernis A. Malone; family members and all gathered here; good morning.
Those knowing me best will know that any address that I give MUST always be placed in perspective and this address offers no exception. It is important.
Take the two simple English words; look-out. Look out; can offer you a spectacular and panoramic view just outside the windows of a building, a cruise ship or a jet. Look out; on the other hand can save your life from a falling object or an accident about to happen! And thirdly and I’m sure NOT finally. Look out; can put you on notice that someone in pursuit of you is not amused and is destined to get you!
On another note -- It was Winston Churchill who remarked that, “To each person, there comes in their lifetime a special moment when they are figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a very special thing, unique to them and fitted to their talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds them unprepared or unqualified for that which could have been their finest hour.”
Yesterday, after completing my assignment, I sat at the ferry terminal in Red Hook with Pastor Sonia Leonard-Brooks who was on her way to the US and was still at the terminal for no other purpose than that of replacing her cell phone after leaving her BVI home without that critical piece of instrument. It is one sentence that she said to me that placed into perspective, the reason why we are here this morning.
Pastor Brooks looked me flush in the eyes; the way that only her brother Dr. Charles Wheatley could look at a person and said to me, “Hon. Malone if this Virgin Islands Party fail, the BVI will fail. No matter the circumstances, you guys must stay together. No separation! What GOD has for any of you is for each of you only. Many want this team to fail but all of you must stay together and do God’s work for the survival of the BVI!”
Speaking of perspective; those are profound words.
I accept and embrace the opportunities offered by Premier Fahie to continue the fine representation displayed by the three former Deputy Premiers in this series of rotation. I am proud of my Premier and of my colleagues and pledge to uphold the stature and dignity of the office to which I am appointed.
It is an understatement to merely say that there is a lot of work to be done for indeed there is tremendous challenges and opportunities abound. I will state without fear of contradictions that thanks to the fine works of Governors and Deputy Governors of past and present and thanks to an evolving transformation process, these challenges and these opportunities that are abound would be harnessed, natured and conquered.
Working together the BVI has a bright future. I have full confidence in our Premier; I have full confidence in each of our Ministers; Senior and Junior; I have full confidence in our Civil Service; I have full confidence in the people of the British Virgin Islands and on that note I congratulate and welcome each of the recent recipients of Residence and Belongers Status; I have full confidence that working together each of us will achieve more for the BVI.
Together we will continue the rebuilding from the ravages of hurricanes Irma and Maria.
Together we will continue to build our people to maximise the opportunities offered in our Tourism, Financial Services, construction and all emerging industries.
Together we will care for and protect our golden gems; our youth and our most vulnerable!
BVILOVE is alive and well.
I thank my wife Pernis and daughter Kirsten for their patience and acceptance. I thank my family, relatives and friends for their love and support. My Private Secretary and Deputy Private Secretary are here and I thank them for taking the time out for being here. I thank each of you for without you, there is no me. So please, as we journey on, as we tarry on ….. You won’t forget about me, would you? I thank you.
