Mrs. Monel Nickie has been appointed to the post of District Officer for Virgin Gorda, making her the first woman to fill the role.

Mrs. Nickie will be responsible for coordinating designated Government activities on Virgin Gorda to ensure the departmental objectives of the Sister Islands Programme are met in her new role.

Deputy Governor Mr. David Archer Jr. congratulated Mrs. Nickie and stated that her appointment was historic and worth celebrating as she becomes the first woman to serve as District Officer for Virgin Gorda.

The Deputy Governor said, “While we acknowledge this milestone, it is also important to make note of Mrs. Nickie’s unique strengths and vigour which awarded her this appointment for the betterment of the Virgin Gorda community.”

Mr. Archer added, “After Mr. Verne Wheatley, who previously held the post, served for 25 long years, we are grateful to him for leaving behind a legacy that will not be forgotten, and one which Mrs. Nickie will certainly benefit from and extend.”

Mrs. Nickie said she was delighted to undertake the role of District Officer and considered it an honour to serve the Virgin Islands and her community in this capacity.

 “The strength of our success as a Territory lies in our ability to work together and serve one another. I am committed to contributing to my community in a positive way and look forward to our continued growth and development,” she added.

The District Officer held various roles in the teaching profession, including working as both an adjunct lecturer at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College as well as a primary school teacher based on Virgin Gorda. Mrs. Nickie is also the founder and director of MOSADI, a women empowerment initiative that offers spiritual, emotional, physical, financial, and social mentoring through conferences, workshops, and one-on-one sessions.

The goal of the Sister Islands Programme is to promote and facilitate the execution of projects designed to bring about sustained improvement in the quantity, quality and delivery of Government services to the Sister Islands.