Born on 30 April 1973, Williams attended the Antigua Seventh Day Adventist School (Primary & Secondary). As a Seventh Day Adventist and member of the Tindale S.D.A Church, he developed a profound love for youth development and gained leadership skills from his involvement in various church-related activities. His leadership responsibilities in the church included service as a: - Pathfinder Instructor - Youth Elder - Lay Activities Director - Assistant Youth Director - President of the Tindall S.D.A Church Youth Club - President of the Tindall S.D.A Church Fresh Start Scholarship Programme - Sabbath School Teacher and Superintendant. Williams later took his expertise and skills to the Rotaract Club of Antigua and Barbuda, where he served as Vice President and Director of Community Development for many years. Mr. Williams has been active in youth and community development for many years. His service includes but are not limited too: - Assisting with the drafting of the Child Care Act - Public Relations Officer of the Big Brother, Big Sister programmes. - Founder and President of the Groves Community Club (2000). - Feeding programmes for under privileged children and the elderly, - School motivational programmes aimed at helping slow students - Co-founder of the Community Computer Programme. - Trainer in the Duke of Edinburgh Leadership training project, - Director, Board of Directors, Crusader Publications Ltd - Executive Member, Board of the Collaborative Committee for the Promotion of Emotional Health in children (CCOPE). - Sponsor - Schools and Community Sports Leagues in Football, Softball and Hard Ball Cricket - Sponsor – Golden Grove Primary Schools Sports Day ( since 2002) - Annual Golden Grove Top Student Award (since 2001) - Chairman – Coordinating Committee Antigua and Barbuda Little League Baseball Tournament Recognizing his inclination towards leadership, the then leader of the United Progressive Party (UPP); Hon. Baldwin Spencer invited Williams to join the political organization in 1997. Just a year later, he was appointed Chairman of the UPP’s Youth Arm, the Progressive Youth Movement from 1998-2002, and created an Educational Programme for CXC candidates. |
In 2004, Winston Williams Jr. defeated veteran politician, Vere Bird Jr., who previously held the seat for 28 unbroken years, and was elected Member of Parliament for St. John’s Rural South. In addition to his Sports and Youth Affairs portfolio, he was also a member of the Public Accounts Committee. In 2005, Williams was awarded the Young Politician of the Year. Between 2009 - 2013, Williams served as Minister of State with responsibility for Sports, Local Government, the National School Meals Service and Special Projects including the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium within the Ministry of Education, Sports, Youth and Gender Affairs. He also served as Acting Minister of Education, Sports, Youth and Gender Affairs for eight months during this period. At the regional level, a major highlight of Williams' service at the regional level was the mobilization of OECS Sports Ministers to collectively address the sector and take steps to develop a harmonised approach for the development of sports. Within a two year period, Minister Williams was able to lead the process in convening four (4) OECS Sports Ministers and Directors Meetings in Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, the Commonwealth of Dominica and Grenada. At the end of his tenure as Sports Minister responsible for Governance, the Ministers agreed to a three year OECS Strategic Plan on Sports and Recreation. Other regional achievements of Sen. Williams included the signing of Memoranda of Understanding on Sports and Recreation with the Governments of Cuba, Montserrat and Suriname. He also completed consultations to sign MOUs with the University of Technology, Jamaica and the Government of Jamaica. In 2013, he was appointed Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister. In addition to his ministerial duties on the local level, Senator Williams also served as: - Coordinator, Public Sector Support Services Team (PSSST) which led the public sector drive to return the Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium to acceptable status as an international cricket venue. - Chairman, Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD) - Cabinet Sub-committee (COHSOD) - Finance Sub-committee Member, Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda - Chairman, Antigua and Barbuda Youth Rally Committee, 2004 – 2008. -Acting Minister of Government for various periods: - Minister of Health - Minister of Education, Youth and Gender Affairs - Minister Labour In 2008 Minister Williams was invited by Her Excellency Deborah-Mae Lovell, Ambassador to Washington and to the Organisation of American States, Permanent Mission, to be the Keynote Speaker on the official launching of the OAS Youth Initiative - the first in the organization's history. After delivering his address at the launch, the President of Lehigh University was so impressed with his drive and enthusiasm that he invited Minister Williams to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to deliver an address to the students at their Annual Global Village. Minister Williams, who was also identified to speak on account of the progress made on the National Youth Policy of Antigua and Barbuda, joined other panellists that included Mark Gumz, CEO of Olympus Camera, Frank Zenie, Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Dennis Cheek, Vice President of Kauffmann Foundation, a premier philanthropic organisation in theUnited State. Sen. Williams has also represented the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda at the 38th General Assembly of the OAS held in Medellin, Columbia. In the 4th Plenary Session he delivered a keynote addresses on Global Warming. Winston Williams Jr. is Founder of the Winston Williams Jr. Charitable Trust and is Founder and Director of the Hope Tree Foundation. |