Mrs. Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes and Lori Freeman have been officially appointed as Director and Deputy Director respectively, of the BVI Social Security Board (SSB).
The final process of officiating the positions were conducted in the House of Assembly late Wednesday December 22, by the Minister responsible for the Social Security Board, Vincent Wheatley.
According to the motion moved by Wheatley who is the Minister Responsible for Labour, Immigration and Natural Resources, both appointments will come into effect from January 1, 2022.
Scatliffe-Boynes has been the Board’s Acting Director since January this year, following the departure of former Director, Antoinette Skelton.
Speaking on her appointment, Minister Wheatley said he is confident in Scatliffe-Boynes’ ability to elevate the SSB to the next level.
He said, “Today is a very proud day for me. I’ve known Mrs. Scatliffe-Boynes for a long time. She has served the board for a very long time, some 30 years and many times acting as director. So I have every confidence in her that she will take the Board from strength to strength.”
He added, “The Board has done tremendously well, the Board is a success story, some would say the only success story, but I would say a great success story. There’s a lot of work yet to be done getting NHI to the point where NHI needs to be. I believe with her leadership we will get there. I want to wish her every success, I pledge my full support and I wish her well in her endeavors going forward with the board.”
Appointment timely
Minister of Health and Social Development Carvin Malone seconded the motion and shared similar sentiments towards Scatliffe-Boynes appointment, stating it came at the right time.
“This is timely, this is what the people of the Virgin Islands deserve in terms of a person who is committed to the cause of this country and has done extensive work in the country as it regards to Social Security. We know that there are a lot of trials throughout the globe – global pandemics and everything that goes with it – and Mrs. Jeanette Scatliffe-Boynes is the person best suited for the job at this time,” Minister Malone stated.
Testament top positions can be filled by locals
Premier and Minister of Finance Andrew Fahie says the appointment of Scatliffe-Boynes is testament that top positions in the BVI can be filled by locals.
He said, “It shows that we continue to improve the skills of our people and get our people ready for whatever opportunities that come. It is good to see another Virgin Islander and yes, a female, taking up this role, a very important role for an institution that has done us well from the inception. So I wish her well and that she will continue to grow that institution from strength to strength into a new paradigm of success.”
In the meantime, Ms. Lori Freeman who has been the Acting Deputy Director of the SSB since December 31, 2020, also received high praises from the aforementioned ministers and the premier.
Just four months ago, Opposition Legislator Julian Fraser opposed the motion to extend Mrs. Scatliffe-Boynes’ position as Acting Director of the SSB for an additional six-months, as he argued that she should have been appointed.
Fraser attempted to move a counter motion to have Scattliffe-Boynes appointed as the permanent director then, a motion which failed to get the necessary votes to be passed in the House of Assembly, as it was not supported by any of the government legislators.