Video: New Senator/AG & Ministers Appointed

Kim Wilkerson has been appointed to the Senate and Cabinet where she will serve as the Attorney General, MP Crystal Caesar has been appointed to Cabinet where she will serve as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and MP Jache Adams was appointed as the Junior Minister of Finance.

This marks a return to the Senate for Senator Wilkerson, who was previously appointed as PLP Senator back in 2016. As far as the Cabinet, she replaces Kathy Lightbourne Simmons — who resigned as both a Cabinet Minister and as an MP last month — as the new Attorney General. In the Senate, she replaces Rev Dr Emily Gail Dill, who is running in the C36 by-election, which will be held on October 4th.  Minister Caesar has been appointed to the Ministry previously held by Vance Campbell, who resigned from Cabinet and then crossed the floor to join the OBA.

The swearing-in ceremony was held today [Sept 16] at Government House.

The Premier’s remarks follow below

Good Morning, Your Excellency Governor Lalgie, Cabinet Ministers, Members of the Legislature, distinguished guests, family, friends, and members of the media:

It is my great pleasure to join you today as we welcome new members of the Cabinet, Senator Kim Wilkerson as our new Attorney General & Minister of Justice, MP Crystal Caesar as the new Minister for the Cabinet Office and, MP Jache Adams as the new Junior Minister of Finance. Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to thank the former Attorney General, Mrs Kathy Lynn Simmons, who served for over seven years.

During her time as Attorney General, this Government enacted legal reforms such as road-side sobriety testing, no-fault divorce, strengthened laws related to sexual offences against children, decriminalised and expunged criminal records for simple cannabis possession, and became the first Government to provide public notifications for the release of sex offenders.

Bermuda’s new Attorney General – Minister Kim Wilkerson, joins the Cabinet with a wealth of experience from the private sector and is a highly respected leader in our community. She is a proud product of Bermuda’s public school system, having attended Paget Primary, the Berkeley Institute, and the Bermuda College before earning a scholarship to The College of Insurance (St. John’s University School of Risk Management) in New York, where she obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree.

She completed her legal studies in the United Kingdom, obtaining an LLB from the University of Buckingham and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP Law School. Ms. Wilkerson is admitted to the Bar as a Barrister & Attorney in England & Wales, and Bermuda and is an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. She previously served as Senior Vice President and Head of Claims for AXA XL for nearly a decade, following her time as General Counsel for the same organisation. Her career in the insurance industry, spanning over 30 years, and her deep legal expertise make her uniquely qualified for her new role.

She is also no stranger to public service, having previously served as a Progressive Labour Party Senator from 2016 to 2017 and as Shadow Minister for Economic Development. She has expressed a clear vision for her tenure as Attorney General. She is committed to ensuring that our justice system becomes less punitive, more restorative and more accessible. This approach will be crucial as the Government continues its work to make a more just and
equitable society for all Bermudians.

Today, we also welcome MP Crystal Caesar to the Cabinet table as Minister for the Cabinet Office. MP Caesar was educated at West End Primary School, the Berkeley Institute, and the Bermuda College before pursuing higher education at Georgia State University, where she graduated cum
laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting and went on to earn her Certified Public Accounting designation in 2001.

MP Caesar has had a distinguished career in financial services, holding positions at UPS Global Headquarters, the Registrar of Companies, the Bermuda Monetary Authority, and HSBC Bank of Bermuda Limited. Her commitment to service extends beyond her professional career. She has served on numerous boards and commissions, including the Board of Education, the Board of Governors at Bermuda College, the Bermuda Independence Commission, and the
Education Review Working Team.

In 2017, MP Caesar was appointed a Senator and served as Junior Minister for several key portfolios, including Home Affairs, Economic Development, and Tourism. She has served as MP for Southampton West since 2020. As a backbencher, I have witnessed her keen focus on policy matters and have welcomed her advice to strengthen the Government’s proposed policies. The Cabinet will benefit from her overarching commitment to ensure that Bermudians benefit from changes to legislation and that government services are more accessible to Bermuda’s residents.

In addition to welcoming two new Cabinet Ministers today, we also swore in a new Junior Minister of Finance. MP Jache Adams was educated at Heron Bay Primary School and Warwick Academy before obtaining his Bachelor of Commerce from St. Mary’s University. MP Adams joined Butterfield Bank following his graduation and took part in their Management Trainee Programme before working in Corporate Banking and serving as an Assistant Vice President.

He was elected to the House of Assembly in 2020 to represent the people of Pembroke West. Prior to his election as an MP, he served as an advisor to the Minister of Finance and has continued in this role. His work has advanced important government initiatives such as the Mortgage Guarantee Programme, which has helped dozens of Bermudians start on the path to homeownership and pension reform.

Having served under two Ministers of Finance and advancing numerous policies that have benefited Bermudians, MP Adams has earned this promotion. The country will not just be treated to his eloquent speeches in the House of Assembly, but he will now have the added responsibility of shepherding the finance legislation that he has been responsible for developing through the House.

On Friday, it will be baptism by fire for MP Adams, as one of his latest policies – allowing Bermudians to access their pension savings to put a downpayment on a home – will be tabled in the House of Assembly by him as Junior Minister.

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