by Linda Straker
A national address in the coming days will provide not just an update on the fiscal situation in the country, but will also see Prime Minister Dr Keith Mitchell making some adjustment to government ministerial portfolios.
During his first national address for 2016 which was done in early January, Dr Mitchell who also serves as Minister for Finance said that the adjustment will be done with three reasons in mind.
“This will include to further fine-tune the workings of government; to afford people different experiences; and to allow some ministers more time for deeper interactions with the people who had sent them to the Parliament in the first place,” he said.
Without providing explanation as to why it was not done as promised during the first quarter of 2016, Dr Mitchell recently confirmed that the changes will be done during the month of June. Dr Mitchell left the island on Friday for an official visit to Cuba.
Since the New National Party was elected to govern the affairs of the country in February 2013, the Prime Minister has made two cabinet reshuffles. Cabinet members are mainly persons who are elected to serve in the House of Representatives. Following the 2013 General Election, no opposition won a seat and thus the Lower House of Representatives comprises only members from one party.
At the time of naming his cabinet in March 2013, three elected members were assigned portfolios as ministers, but a promise was made that during the tenure of the government all of them would receive ministerial experience. In a subsequent reshuffle, Yolande Bain–Horsford was appointed to serve as Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation. Tobias Clement and Clifton Paul are yet to serve as government ministers.
