Malone offers support to Health Ministry from Opposition if asked
Despite crossing the floor to become a member of the Opposition in the House of Assembly, former Minister for Health & Social Development Carvin Malone said he will still be available to lend a hand of support to the ministry and offer advice if called upon.
The Territorial At-Large Representative noted that the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital needs to undergo a proper review and before the implementation of the Government of National Unity and the shuffling of Cabinet, his team was ensuring that operations – both in terms of staffing and efficiency – were where it needs to be.
“We were accredited, and we do not wish to lose that accreditation. So, any advice I can give to help to keep it will be offered. I have committed to Permanent Secretary that if she needs to call on me for any particular purpose, I am here. The post was not mine. The BVI I would like to call mine. Any post I am I and I can help, I will do it. I will continue my participation to make the BVI the best it can be,” Malone said.
The Opposition legislator told members of the local media he is unlike any other legislator people would have encountered because his goal is the betterment of the Virgin Islands. He said it is on this basis that he also offers his service to the current Minister for Health & Social Development, Marlon Penn.
“When I stepped into the ministry, I told the entire staff I was given a 48-month directive to help to lead the Ministry of Health & Social Development. I told them the path to come back here is a long one. I must run, I must win, I must be selected, and I must be elected and so forth. So, I never put any permanent pegging in the ministry,” Malone said.
“Everything that is there is open, and it could be questioned but it must be explained. It is critical that we continue in terms of assisting each other, whether from the back bench or the Opposition, because I am a person, who gets my hands dirty – in terms of making sure I get in there and I do the work,” the Territorial At-Large Representative said.
The former Health & Social Development Minister noted he ensured his successor was briefed before he assumed the position.
“One of the beauties of the Westminster system is that there are persons there to ensure that all the work is done. So, he was properly briefed as far as I am concerned and their continuing members. The former Permanent Secretary is now back and he was briefed by the Acting Permanent Secretary as well,” Malone noted.
“We were accredited, and we do not wish to lose that accreditation. So, any advice I can give to help to keep it will be offered. I have committed to Permanent Secretary that if she needs to call on me for any particular purpose, I am here. The post was not mine. The BVI I would like to call mine. Any post I am I and I can help, I will do it. I will continue my participation to make the BVI the best it can be,” Malone said.
The Opposition legislator told members of the local media he is unlike any other legislator people would have encountered because his goal is the betterment of the Virgin Islands. He said it is on this basis that he also offers his service to the current Minister for Health & Social Development, Marlon Penn.
“When I stepped into the ministry, I told the entire staff I was given a 48-month directive to help to lead the Ministry of Health & Social Development. I told them the path to come back here is a long one. I must run, I must win, I must be selected, and I must be elected and so forth. So, I never put any permanent pegging in the ministry,” Malone said.
“Everything that is there is open, and it could be questioned but it must be explained. It is critical that we continue in terms of assisting each other, whether from the back bench or the Opposition, because I am a person, who gets my hands dirty – in terms of making sure I get in there and I do the work,” the Territorial At-Large Representative said.
The former Health & Social Development Minister noted he ensured his successor was briefed before he assumed the position.
“One of the beauties of the Westminster system is that there are persons there to ensure that all the work is done. So, he was properly briefed as far as I am concerned and their continuing members. The former Permanent Secretary is now back and he was briefed by the Acting Permanent Secretary as well,” Malone noted.
