UPDATE: Mrs. Karia J. Christopher in @ DTCA from Nov 3
Mrs. Christopher confirmed her resigning from the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) following a recent press release by the Government information Service (GIS).
The release said, “His Excellency the Governor Mr. John S. Duncan OBE acting on the advice of the Public Service Commission, has approved the appointment of Mrs. Karia J. Christopher to the post of Director in the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs (DTCA). Mrs. Christopher will take up her appointment from November 3."
Christopher told this news site that her resignation takes effect from October 24, 2014. "So I am leaving. I resigned [from] October 24th," she said.
She said that taking up the position at the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs would afford her the opportunity to live her dream in a career field that would see her performing at a level she loves to.
She has been with the TRC since 2006 and said that as she did not aspire to the position of Chief Executive Officer of TRC, there was not much further she could have gone since she had reached her peak in the position of Chief Administrative Officer.
See previous story published on September 16, 2014:
Karia J. Christopher In! To head Trade & Consumer Affairs Dept
-Mrs Christopher speaks exclusively to Virgin Islands News Online
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - This news site’s sources within the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government have told our news room that Premier Dr. the Honourable D. Orlando Smith and the Public Service Commission (PSC) have approved Karia J. Christopher, an indigenous Virgin Islander to become the new Director of Trade and Consumer Affairs.
However, it is unclear when she will start her new job as negotiations on terms and conditions are still ongoing. The Trade & Consumer Affairs Department falls under the Office of the Premier.
The same source also told our news room in an invited comment that the job came down to two front runners Mrs. Christopher and Mrs. Monique Hodge Bell the Assistant Complaints Commissioner.
The NDP source also confirmed that the Ag. Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office Mr. Broderick Penn was backing Mrs. Hodge Bell, however the subject Minister and the PSC wanted Mrs. Christopher.
In the end the Governor agreed to the recommendation of the PSC and the Premier.
Speaking with this news site yesterday September 15, 2014, Mrs Christopher said, “I am still at TRC, I worked there today, I intend to go there tomorrow. I am haven’t left the TRC just yet. I don’t want to leave the TRC until the goals that I had for this period are closed off in total, I am not going to leave them hanging with any issues that were under my portfolio.”
Mrs. Christopher confirmed that she did apply for the position of Director of Trade in the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs (DTCA) and was successful.
However, she said no date or time has been set just yet as to when she would sit in the office. “Honestly, I don’t know. I am very honest to say that the post was offered but I have not signed yet,” she told this news site.
Currently Mrs. Christopher holds the position as Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) at the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (TRC) for some six year and according to her there is not much scope to elevate to a more senior position that would allow her to spread her wings to do things that she would enjoy.
With this in mind when the opening was advertised in the government system she jumped at the opportunity to apply. “I have been at the TRC for six years and I have basically reached my peak in that organization. The next position for me to assume is the CEO position which I really didn’t have a personal desire to going into because my strength is really in marketing and things of that nature. I really have no intentions of becoming the CEO of TRC,” she told this news site.
She viewed the opening of the position in the Department of Trade and Consumer Affairs as one to have been very timely as it has blotted out the strain of going job hunting.
She said that taking up the new post will give her the opportunity to be more interactive with people something that would fulfill her dream.
“There I will be more involved with people, doing things from the ground up so I saw Trade and Investment to be a real opportunity for me to show some progress in that light,” said Christopher.
When she started her employment with the TRC in 2008 she said her transition from First Caribbean was a completion transition in itself and that she has learnt a lot. She said that one of the fondest and cherished memories that she has of being with the TRC would be the coordinating and organizing of the annual World Telecoms Day activities.
“That’s a signature event for me. It came about from the first year I was employed with TRC as it was the very first time it was held in the BVI and they had entrusted that in my hands to coordinate. Everyone looked forward every year to see what next I was going to come with for that observance. It something I will miss the most,” said Ms Christopher.
She said that event was one that gives them the opportunity to show the TRC in a very positive light. However she said that until pen hits paper and dates and timelines are set, she is 100% committed to her job as CAO of the TRC.
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44 Responses to “UPDATE: Mrs. Karia J. Christopher in @ DTCA from Nov 3”
But wait, lemme take a selfie first! :-)
Typically young people when they reach to the top they want no one else up there sometimes the politician are useful as if it was not for Dr. Smith Karia would not have gotten the job. Never knew Br...ick waz so bad minded!