S.S.B. C.E.O. Speaks of Departure to Assume New Post at C.C.C.C.C.

Colin Young

On January sixth, 2020, C.E.O. of the Social Security Board Doctor Colin Young will officially assume the post of Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre.  Doctor Young chose not to renew his employment contract which expires at the end of the year. Young, who has been at the S.S.B. since 2017, was instrumental in engaging stakeholders and rolling out the contribution reform.  He was the S.S.B.’s fifth C.E.O. in twelve years but hopes that his work lives on through his team which he says is sufficiently prepared and more than capable.

Dr. Colin Young, C.E.O., S.S.B.

“One of the things that was clear to me when I got there is that SSB had a very negative image and reputation. I call it the legacy issues. That is why our strategy plan had an objective of improving that image and that reputation and we’ve worked very hard at it partly because of how we survive people but also in terms of sharing more about SSB to insured persons. A lot of the issues you heard about the contribution reform was because of misinformation and lack of awareness. I’ve always say that was S.S.B.’s fault. We would have to been more proactive in ensuring that people knew how about how their fund works, about how much we spend and how we spend it. That is why we instituted the first annual general meetings at S.S.B. where we invited the media and showed them our audited financials and had a level of transparency that I would think and hope that whoever comes next maintains because the public deserves no less.  In terms of my terms of my departure, one of the ways I try to ensure there is continuity because nobody is anywhere forever is how you empower your team. I am quite confident that my team is sufficiently prepared and have the capacity to continue the work that we started.”

Young takes over from Doctor Kenrick Leslie, who will be retiring from the C.C.C.C.C. at the end of the year.