Rebecca Cairns-Wicks
Rebecca Cairns-Wicks | |
|---|---|
Cairns-Wicks in 2025 | |
| 2nd Chief Minister of Saint Helena | |
| Assumed office 10 September 2025 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| Governor | Nigel Phillips |
| Preceded by | Julie Thomas |
| Personal details | |
| Profession | Politician · conservationist |
Rebecca Cairns-Wicks is a Saint Helenian conservationist and politician serving as the Chief Minister of Saint Helena since September 2025.
Biography
Cairns-Wicks is from England and married to a Saint Helenian.[1] She lives in Saint Helena and works as a plant geneticist and conservation scientist, with over 30 years of experience.[2][3][4] She served as operations director for the St Helena National Trust.[1] In 2019, she became coordinator for the newly established St Helena Research Institute.[5] For her assistance in introducing lichenologist André Aptroot to the plants and vegetation of Saint Helena, he named the specific epithet of the lichen species Xanthoparmelia beccae after her.[6] In 2025, she wrote an article for the European Journal of Taxonomy on "Diversity of the extinct land snail genus Chilonopsis of St Helena".[7]
Cairns-Wicks entered politics in 2025 by launching a campaign for one of 12 seats to the Legislative Council of Saint Helena, with a platform promoting education and reducing living costs.[8] She was elected with 823 votes or 71.8% of the votes cast, which was the highest number out of all candidates and over 60 more than the second-place candidate.[9] On 10 September 2025, seven days after the general election, she stood for election as Chief Minister of Saint Helena and won the position, succeeding Julie Thomas and becoming the second person to hold the title.[10]
References
- ^ a b Engel, Matthew (January 29, 2016). "Last boat to St Helena". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 2025-04-17 – via archive.today.
- ^ "Rebecca Cairns-Wicks". LinkedIn. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ Gepford, Kevin (April 17, 2024). "Something Is Killing Saint Helena's Cloud Forest". Hakai Magazine. Archived from the original on 2025-09-10 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "Our People". UK – St Helena Heritage Trust. Archived from the original on 2025-09-10 – via Wayback Machine.
- ^ "A RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR ST HELENA". Government of Saint Helena. 27 February 2019.
- ^ Aptroot, André (2008). "Lichens of St Helena and Ascension Island". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 158: 147–171 [167]. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2008.00797.x.
- ^ "Author Details". European Journal of Taxonomy. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "Rebecca Cairns-Wicks: Candidate for St Helena General Election 2025". St. Helena Online. 19 August 2025. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
- ^ "General Election 2025 – The Results". Government of Saint Helena. 4 September 2025.
- ^ "Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks Elected as Chief Minister". Government of Saint Helena. 10 September 2025.