Shaun Malcolm New Health Boss

Acting Governor Her Excellency Anya Williams (left) administers the oath of office of Hon. Shaun Malcolm as the new Minister of Health. Looking on (from left standing) are Premier Hon. Washington (partly hidden), Bishop Coleta Williams III - House of Assembly and the Progressive National Party (PNP) Chaplain, Calvin Green - Party Chairman, Hon. Kyle Knowles - Member of Parliament for Wheeland, Hon. Jameka Williams - Government's Appointed Member to the House of Assembly, Hon. Randy Howell - Member of Parliament for Blue Hills, Hon. Matthew Stubbs - Member of Parliament for the Bight, and Willen Belliard - Governor's Appointed Member to the House of Assembly. Seated are (from left) Hon. Josephine Connolly - Tourism Minister and Hon. Jamell Robinson - the new Minister of Physical Planning in Infrastructure Development.

A gracious former backbencher Hon. Shaun Malcolm was sworn in as Minister of Health and Human Services on Tuesday, at the Premier’s Office in Providenciales.

Malcolm succeeded Hon. Jamell Robinson, who has been reassigned to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development (PPID) at the expense of Hon. Akierra Misick, in a cabinet shuffle announced earlier in the week by Premier Hon. Washington Misick.

Hon. Akierra Missick, who served as Deputy Premier and Minister of Health under the Rufus Ewing administration is now a backbencher.

Taking the reins of that ministry, Malcolm will be responsible for the National Health Insurance Board (NHIB), the Health Professions Authority, the Public and Environmental Health Board, the Health Regulatory Authority, the Dental Department, the Primary Health Care Unit, Policy Planning and Administrative Support, the Health Promotion and Advocacy Unit, Public and Environmental Health Department, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Unit, Special Needs Unit, National Public Health Laboratory, Emergency Medical Service (EMS), contract Management Unit, National Epidemiology and Research Unit, and Health Emergency Management Unit.

Premier Hon. Washington Misick (left) congratulates the new Minister of Health Hon. Shaun Malcolm

Thanking Premier Hon. Washington Misick for this new assignment, and Minister Robinson for briefing him on the ministerial tasks to be undertaken in the various departments and agencies, Malcolm said he remained humble from the time that the electorate gave him the opportunity to champion their cause at the legislative level as a backbencher to now being a member of the executive.

“Today, the honourable premier has demonstrated his confidence and trust in my ability to function at the executive level, and I am humbled,” Malcolm told the room crammed with parliamentary colleagues, party faithfuls and family members.

“I again pledge my commitment to you, the people of this country, to make your health and wellbeing my priority. The adage – the health of the people determines the wealth of the nation, is for me, the blueprint, and my guide,” Malcolm continued.

He added: “Ensuring that our most valuable resource, our people, are afforded the best quality health care, is critical to lives, livelihoods and development of this country and the preservation of its wealth for the future generation…and this is my pledge to you, the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands today.”

Former Minister of Health Hon. Jamell Robinson (left) symbolically hands over the ministry keys to new Minister Hon. Shaun Malcolm, at Malcolm's swearing in ceremony, where Robinson was also sworn in as Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development.

Robinson, at his new ministry will be responsible for the Physical Planning and Technical Support, Public Works Programme Management, Public Works Department, Mechanical Services Division, Maintenance Division, Project Management Division, Physical Planning and Development Department, Estate Management Department, Housing and Community Renewal and Infrastructure Development.

“…I am allowed to build roads now,” Robinson quipped, as he delivered his acceptance speech.

In relinquishing the Health Ministry, Robinson said he was grateful for that ministry, which he dubbed ‘The A Team’, for a great year and the time he served as their minister in that sector.

In the meantime, Robinson said was confident that Malcolm would also perform a phenomenal job within that ministry as well.

“To my new team, the Ministry of PPID, and everybody, the work continues, and we have some great deliverables that we want for the people of the Turks and Caicos Islands. lastly, I want to welcome the incoming Minister of Health Hon. Shaun David Malcolm to the ministerial team,” Robinson said.

Government's absentees at the event were Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. E. Jay Saunders, Hon. Akierra Missick, the former Minister of Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development and Member of Parliament for South Caicos Hon. John Malcolm. However, the deputy governor told the media that Saunders' absence was due to him on a government-sanctioned assignment in Spain.