Dr. Derrick Binns sworn-in as Cabinet Secretary

Earlier this afternoon, during a ceremony at Government House, Dr. Derrick Binns was formally Sworn-In as the Secretary to the Cabinet of the Bermuda Government.

Dr. Binns was appointed to the role of Cabinet Secretary, upon the recommendation of the Premier, the Hon. Craig Cannonier JP, MP.

Dr. Binns assumes the post following the retirement of Mr. Donald Scott last month. The post is effective today December 2, 2013. Dr. Binns, a senior manager and executive in the Civil Service, has amassed an extensive career, with some 27 years of service.

Dr. Derrick Binns holds a Bachelor’s Degree with Honours in Psychology from the Johns Hopkins University.  He also holds a Master’s and Doctoral Degrees in Clinical Psychology from the Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies of Adelphi University respectively.

He served as the first Psychologist for Prisons in 1986. In 1996, he joined the National Drug Commission (NDC) as Research Officer, where he assumed responsibility for the development of the NDC’s research capacity.  In 1997, he was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Commission.

In August of 2001 Dr. Binns was appointed Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Services.  In this role he was the senior Civil Servant responsible for the departments comprising the Ministry and also served as the chief policy advisor to the Minister. 

Since then Dr. Binns has served as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Community Affairs and Sport and the Ministry of Works and Engineering, Assistant Cabinet Secretary (Policy) at the Cabinet Office, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing, and the Ministry of Environment, Planning and Infrastructure Strategy, which later became the Ministry of Environment and Planning.

The Secretary to the Cabinet is the most senior Civil Servant position. Dr. Binns will oversee the Cabinet Office, the government department that provides administrative and management support to the Premier; the Cabinet, and the government as a whole. In his role, the Cabinet Secretary chairs the Civil Service Executive (CSE), comprised of all Government Permanent Secretaries - the principal governing body of the Civil Service.