Government
Anya Williams, MBE sworn in as Interim Governor of Turks & Caicos
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, March 31, 2023 – As the country hovers between British appointed governors, the reins are now in the capable hands of Anya Williams; she has been sworn in as the interim Governor much to the delight of her family and well-wishers.
Williams was sworn in on March 29 at St Monica’s Anglican by her predecessor, former Governor Nigel Dakin, to a resounding round of applause from residents and country leaders. 
Williams had an audience this time as she stepped into the role of head of state, but it is a position she has held time and again during her 10 and a half years as Deputy Governor. In fact, she has spent 885 days of that time as Acting Governor when British Governors were out of the country, she told the gathered guests.
Taken together, they give her more than two years of service as an Acting Governor, a tenure equal to and in some cases outstripping the tenure of the four Governors she has served under Dakin himself.
Citing her family as her strength, Williams, who is only the second Deputy Governor in TCI history and daughter of Pastors Dennis and Deborah Swann said, “Leadership is not easy. It requires a lot of support both on a professional and a personal level and so today, I last but most importantly must express my profound thanks.”
She took the time out to acknowledge her husband, Darren; children, parents, siblings, aunts, and extended family. Tearfully, Her Excellency Williams remembered her younger brother Brandon, who passed away after a car accident in October 2021.
Williams has been retained as Deputy Governor for over a decade now, a vote of confidence from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, which oversees the process.
It is this same office which in 2018, under then Governor Dr. John Freeman, recommended Williams, who is also a former permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, for the Queen’s Birthday Honours granting her an MBE
At the time, Freeman said: “This is richly deserved and as the citation states, has been made in recognition of her services to the Turks and Caicos Islands. Those services are notable. The Deputy Governor continues to exhibit exemplary dedication to her duties, demonstrating the strong leadership that she displayed following the passage of both Hurricanes Irma and Maria which was commended by myself, the UK military, and NGOs present.”
Many islanders agree with this characterisation of the Grand Turk native and in their reasoning have said Williams is well equipped now to not merely act in the role of governor for these islands and cays over short periods, but to possess the job outright.
Turks and Caicos will welcome its first female governor in a few months. Until then, Anya Williams will steer the ship from the Office of the Governor until June 29, when Dileeni Daniel Selvaratnam will take up her new post in the TCI.