It’s Official: New Mapp Cabinet Members Express Relief, Gratitude At Swearing-In Ceremony

ST. CROIX — It’s been a long time coming — the swearing-in ceremony of Governor Kenneth Mapp nominees who went through the wringer in the Senate — and it was finally done at Government House here on Monday, where family and friends packed the Second Floor Ball Room, formerly attired, in support of the newly minted cabinet members.

They will continue to lead various agencies and departments of the territory’s government. And Mapp lauded the group, making known that he was proud of the work he and Potter had done in selecting the leaders.

They included 9 candidates here, with the remaining set to officially join the Mapp administration in an identical event to be held in St. Thomas. Masters of Ceremony Kimberly Jones, Mapp’s communications director, read short bios of the members before inviting them to the podium for a short speech.

Nellon Bowry, the administration’s director of Management and Budget, promised to be a better father to his two daughters after being asked by a legislator during a recent Senate session, whether there was money allocated to fight crime. Bowry said at the time the question seemed out of place, but in hindsight, and with the recent surge of criminal activity in the islands, aside from making sure monies were set aside in the budget to quell violence, he promised to better father his children. His remarks were received with applause from the audience.

The St. Croix Central High School JROTC group performs Posting of Colors.

Dept. of Public Works Commissioner Gustav James, aside from making known his appreciation to the governor for selecting him, also thanked the 31st Legislature for its “eventually approval,” receiving laughs from the crowed after making the statement. He said the best way to fight crime was to make available jobs for the youth whose future seems stagnant. James also thanked his family, highlighting his mother and her insistent stance on high achievement.

Beverly Nicholson-Doty, the long-serving Tourism commissioner who’s made a name for herself in the territory, pointed out that she had over a dozen siblings, many of whom could not be present for the occasion, but nonetheless expressed gratitude to them all, and spoke of the impact they have had on her life.

Her family, she said, has kept her grounded and has critiqued her performances to help her become better. Nicholson-Doty also lauded her staff, without which, she said, much of what has been accomplished would not be possible. The well-respected Virgin Islander was recently chosen as Person of The Year by the St. Thomas Rotary Club, and she served as Tourism commissioner under the John P. de Jongh administration — a testament to her leadership and knowledge in the territory’s biggest and most important industry.

New Governor Kenneth Mapp Cabinet Members And Their Families.

Dept. of Labor Commissioner Catherine Hendry deemed it an honor to be part of the Mapp administration, and also thanked her staff — some of whom were present for the ceremony — for their exceptional skillset in helping make DOL an entity that fights for the rights of the islands’ people by securing job opportunities and investigating unfair labor practices, amongst other important responsibilities.

New cabinet members, their families and friends gather in the Second Floor Ball Room before commencement of ceremony.

Vivian Ebbesen-Fludd also noted the work of her staff, thanking Dept. of Human Services employees for rallying around her vision, and commenting that together they could overachieve. Ebbesen Fludd, however, paid special attention in her remarks to her mother, who was present for the event. “You raise me up so I can stand on mountains,” Ebbesen-Fludd said, borrowing lyrics from the popular song, You Raise Me Up, to describe her mother’s role in her life. She also thanked her husband for persistently supporting her career without wavering.

Department of Licensing  and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Devin Carrington, without prepared remarks, remembered his mother and father as his ultimate examples. His father, who he said was very well spoken, barely completed high school. And his mother, raising children, managed to attain her bachelors and master’s degrees.

Mona Barnes, a former gubernatorial candidate in the 2014 General Elections and former State Command Sergeant Major of the Virgin Islands National Guard, was kin to mention the people she said were indelible to her success, and highlighted her mother for being her rock. Barnes also thanked her employees at the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency, crediting them as the key to her success at the agency.

Colonel Deborah Howell, first female Adjutant General in the territory, received the surprise of her life on Monday when Governor Mapp instantly promoted her to Brigadier general — prompting thunderous applause from the audience along with screams of approval.

And Marvin Pickering, Bureau of Internal Revenue director, lightened the mood when he joked about finally being able to prepare a permanent business card and not having to confuse people with his title being acting, designee or nominee.

This time it was final.

All the candidates thanked Governor Mapp and Lieutenant Governor Osbert Potter for their support. The St. Croix Central High School JROTC group performed the Posting of Colors; invocation was the responsibility of Pastor Uklyn  Hendricks of the Bethel AME Church; and the administration of oath of office was performed by the Honorable Maria M. Cabret, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands.

Correction: Sept. 15, 2015

A previous version of the gallery embedded in this story incorrectly listed Brigadier General Deborah Howell’s husband as her son. The gallery has been updated to reflect the correct information.

Feature Image: Collage of cabinet members who were sworn in on Monday. 

Image Credit: VIC.