New Trinidad PM Names New Cabinet

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley Friday named a 21-member Cabinet with emphasis on youth and a sprinkling of people with cabinet experience. four days after his People’s National Movement won the general elections in Trinidad and Tobago.

“You will see a lot of our young people cross the stage today and what that means is that we have put the affairs of state into the hands of a lot of young people in Trinidad and Tobago,” Prime Minister Rowley said.

He told the audience that among the young people “are a few, hopefully sufficiently experienced ones, who will provide them with the guidance.

“But there is one thing that holds us all together and that is we are here to serve all the people of Trinidad and Tobago and as Prime Minister of this country I intend to hold every single one of them against the oath of office they have just taken.

“That oath demands that you act without fear, without favour, without affection and without ill-will,” he said adding that his style of management is to give responsibility and to hold people accountable.

“Responsibility will be given, ministers will be held accountable but the buck stops with the prime minister. I take responsibility for this cabinet,” he added.

Rowley kept to his election promise and reduced significantly the number of ministries from the previous administration adding “there’s enough for all of us to be sustained maybe not lavishly…but we need to change our attitude if there isn’t any more in the pot, like Oliver, let us not keep shouting please can I have some more.

“We will try to make sure that whatever this country has to offer everyone will be at the table and everyone will share with what’s on the table,” he said.

There were a few surprises to the Cabinet with Rowley naming a former works and transport minister Colm Imbert as his new Finance Minister, while former foreign affairs minister in previous People’s National Movement (PNM) administration, Paul Gopee-Scoon now heading the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

Former junior nationals security minister Fitzgerald Hinds takes over the Ministry of Works and Transport, while former school principal Anthony Garcia is the new Minister of Education.

Former newspaper editor and publisher Maxie Cuffie is the Minister of Communications while Clarence Rambarath, who was defeated  in the general election on September 7 is the Minister of Agriculture Lands and Fisheries.

Former trade unionist, who recently was hosting a tlk show on a radio station here, Jennifer Baptiste Primus is the Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development, while an unknown  Dennis Moses has been named to the re-named Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs.

Former diplomat and government minister Camille Robinson Regis is the Minister of Planning and Development while Nicole Oliverre is the Minister of Energy and Energy Industries.

While unlike previous administration where there has been a Ministry of Tobago Affairs, Rowley, himself a Tobago national, has named the two successful Tobago candidates to his cabinet.

Shamfa Cudjoe is the Minister of Tourism while Ayanna Webster-Roy is the Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office.

The following is the full list of the new Cabinet

Prime Minister – Dr. Keith Rowley

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs – Faris Al-Rawi

National Security Minister – retired Brigadier Edmund Dillon

Minister of Works and Transport – Fitzgerald Hinds

Minister of Trade and Industry – Senator Paula Gopee-Scoon

Minister of Finance – Colm Imbert

Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs – Dennis Moses

Minister of Health –Terrance Deyalsingh

Minister of Housing and Urban Development – Marilyn Mc Donald

Minister of Labour and Small Enterprise Development – Senator Jennifer Baptiste-Primus

Minister of Planning and Development –Camille Robinson-Regis

Minister of Public Administration – Randall Mitchell

Minister of Public Utilities – Retired Brigadier Ancil Antoine

Minister for Rural Development and Local Government – Franklin Khan

Minister of Social Development and Family Services – Cherrie Ann Crichlow-Cockburn

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs – Darryl Smith

Minister of Tourism – Shamfa Cudjoe

Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries –Clarence Rambarath

Minister of Communications – Maxie Cuffie

Minister of Community Development, Culture and Arts – Dr. Nyan Gadsby Doly

Minister of Energy and Energy Industries – Nicole Olivierre