PHILIPSBURG--New Minister of Health, Labour and Social Affairs VSA Emil Lee says he will open a public recruitment process and advertising to fill the various positions in his Ministry.
Lee, sworn in on Thursday, said in a press release that this was being done in a bid “to attract the best and brightest candidates in St. Maarten” to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs.
He said that while incoming Ministers usually picked a staff mostly from their pool of political supporters, in his “commitment to making the country of St. Maarten better” he would have a public recruitment.
“From day one we want to do things differently. This is the time to put the interests of the country above the interests of politics. As long as you are committed to making St Maarten a better place to live and willing to put country above self, we want you on the team. These persons, I believe, can be found across the political spectrums,” he said.
Lee said he wanted to lead the initiative to empower and support the Ministry’s staff. He said this progress could be achieved only through a collaborative effort: “By making the ministry open not only do we make it more transparent for citizens to see how their money is being spent, we also encourage collaboration, stimulate creativity and promote innovation within the ministry.”
According to the release, Lee has been advancing the idea that the best way to boost tourism is through policies that make St. Maarten “the best place to live in the world and by default makes St Maarten the best place to visit.”
“And there is no better place to make a positive impact on the everyday life of the people than through the Ministry of Labour, Health and Social Affairs,” he said in the release.
Lee thanked the coalition for their “trust and confidence” in him and thanked his party leader Sarah Wescot-Williams “for embracing me and the ideas I brought to the DP as a new candidate in the 2014 election and now allowing me the opportunity to bring openness, transparency and new ideas to Government. By this action, the DP demonstrates not only to talk the talk, but also to walk the walk … of inclusion and social cohesion amongst all persons living on our beautiful island.”
He said to residents, “You have my pledge that I will do my best to make the Ministry of VSA a model of openness and efficiency that delivers the most value.”
The minister said résumés could be sent to him at
emilleesxmgov [AT] gmail [DOT] com .
Lee to open public recruitment process for his cabinet staffers
