Government of Montserrat (GoM) under what it describes as part of its reform initiatives has made several internal changes with respect to its Ministry and Departments since the new financial year 2012/13 began.
According to a report coming out of the Cabinet Secretariat, which handles policy for GoM, at the end of the financial year 2011/2012 GoM abolished the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Community Services & Sports (MYACSS) and made the following structural and nominal changes to effect the continued execution of the respective functions.
Effective April 1, 2012, there is now the Ministry of Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, which also incorporates Community Transformation/Development.
What used to be Community Services has been renamed Social Services and has been transferred (to include budget responsibility) under the Ministry of Health, so that Ministry is now Ministry of Health and Social Services also effective April 1, 2012.
At the abolishing of MYACSS the Permanent Secretary’s post was also abolished. Mr. Eugene Skerritt who held that post reportedly according to the Governor had retired by arrangement, but the details were a private matter that only Skerritt should speak to the issue.
However, and according to a release from GIU on the changes, “Importantly, the responsibility for Social Welfare payments has been transferred to the Montserrat Social Security.”
