Government
Bridgette Newman appointed as Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Public Safety & Utilities
#TurksandCaicos, May 30, 2023 – The Office of Deputy Governor is pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs. Bridgette Newman to the post of Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities, effective 1 June 2023.
Boasting a public service career spanning some twenty-eight-plus years, Mrs. Newman began teaching at the Ona Glinton Primary School in September 1992. Following a ten-year tenure in the classroom, she moved into the mainstream of Government, where she was appointed Chief Information Officer within the Ministry of Communications, Works and Utilities. Shortly after that, she served as the Under Secretary within that ministry before being transferred to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration and Labour. In 2011, Mrs. Newman was afforded the privilege of becoming the Cabinet Secretary and then Secretary to the Advisory Council during the Interim Administration.
Mrs. Newman stepped away from the service for two years. During that time, she completed a Master of Science Degree in Educational Leadership with merit from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.
Recognizing that there was much more to contribute to the public service and her country, Mrs. Newman rejoined the service in October 2015 as Head of the Secretariat within the Ministry of Home Affairs. She was promoted to
During her time with the ministry, now Physical Planning and Infrastructure Development (PPID), Mrs. Newman benefitted from several training programs with the Caribbean Development Bank, including Project Management and Public Policy Analysis. She also acted in the position of Permanent Secretary on numerous occasions. She had the opportunity to lead the team at a critical time, which would have been during the country’s preparation, impact, and recovery following the passage of Hurricane Fiona in September 2022.
When commenting on her appointment, Mrs. Newman stated:
I look forward to this new challenge as I continue my quest to make a difference in my country.
I pause to thank the Almighty, the head of my life, and then to say to my husband and son and my entire support system how grateful I am for their continuous love and support. I will continue to make you all proud.”
Acting Governor and Head of the Public Service, Her Excellency Anya Williams, in extending congratulatory remarks to Mrs. Newman, stated:
“As a part of our effort to improve productivity, efficiency, and, most importantly, delivery across the public service, a decision was taken during this year’s budgeting process to split the former Ministry of Home Affairs, Public Safety and Utilities (which had responsibility for 18 departments) into two ministries: (1) the Ministry of Home Affairs and Transportation and (2) the Ministry of Public Safety and Utilities. This decision resulted in the addition of a new Permanent Secretary post.”