Trinidad Express Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar on Friday night described Jack Warner as a man of action and expressed confidence that as the new National Security minister, he would be the best crime-buster.
Persad-Bissessar announced major changes to her Cabinet on Friday as she addressed the nation from the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.
One of the key changes was the removal of Brigadier John Sandy and the appointment of Warner as National Security minister.
Persad-Bissessar, speaking to the media following her announcement, explained the driving force behind putting Warner as this nation’s head of security.
“Mr Warner is a man of action, and I believe Brigadier Sandy did an excellent job; in fact, the crime rates have dropped when you compare them to past crime rates. Mr Sandy has done an excellent job and, indeed, I have asked him to serve at a diplomatic posting which he has accepted. We will work the details of it, so I want to thank him for his service. He was a dedicated soldier, really served the Government well,” said Persad-Bissessar.
“This time again, our priority is on crime; it is my respectful view that Mr Warner is a person of action, and he will be very useful in the Ministry of National Security and, indeed, as I said, I listened to many persons in coming to conclusions in making decisions, and so based on conversations I had with various persons, both against the Government and for the Government, we were able to ask Mr Warner to serve in that position,” she added.
Warner, in turn, thanked Sandy for his service, saying he would rely on him heavily for advice.
“I have been asked to do a job which possibly has not been fully done before, so I will hit the ground running and give my best shot, and I am quite sure with the collective support of the Cabinet and the Government, I will succeed,” he said.
Warner said he believes the Works and Infrastructure Ministry was left in “good hands” with Emmanuel George, and he has no worry that the works he started would continue.
Another key change was the appointment of First Citizens chief executive Larry Howai as the new Finance minister.
Winston Dookeran was shifted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The Prime Minister said last night that Dookeran laid the foundation for the “growth and take-off” of the economy.
“…We are poised for take off, and I am of the view that Mr Larry Howai will be well positioned with his tremendous experience in the financial sector to take us on that further step we need to go,” she said.
The Ministry of Housing and the Environment was split, and a new Ministry of Environment and Water Resources to be headed by Ganga Singh was created.
The Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Technology was also separated, and two other ministries—the Ministry of Information and the Ministry of National Diversity and Social Integration—were created.
Said Persad-Bissessar: “The environment is really a great issue right now; it is an important area and, similarly, with Science and Technology, I’ve created a new ministry there.”
On the new ministries, she said: “It’s really to give focus to those because whilst they are appendages to other ministries, they do not get as much focus, time and attention that is required, and the environment right now is a very important issue. I’ve tied Environment with Water Resources because the environment is about water and water is about the environment, so with that ministry also go areas dealing with drainage, for example.”
Asked whether she was concerned that there would be a barrage of criticisms over Singh’s appointment and why she decided to bring him into her Cabinet, Persad-Bissessar said, “I think he will make an excellent minister; that’s why he’s back in the Government.”
The Prime Minister said all her ministers would always be under review for performance, and throughout the term, reconfigurations are always an option.
All appointments will take effect from tomorrow, and new ministers will be sworn in by the President at a ceremony at Knowsley in Port of Spain.
