(Trinidad Guardian) Twenty-one new Government Ministers and one Parliament Secretary were sworn into office yesterday morning as the new Cabinet for People’s National Movement administration.
Out of these 22 appointments, there were six Senatorial appointments.
The swearing in ceremony for the new Cabinet took place at Queen’s Hall, St Ann’s before President Anthony Carmona.
Prime Minister, Dr Keith Rowley said he is taking personal responsibility for the new Cabinet.
“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 to the oath of office,” Rowley said.
Rowley noted that a number of the people he appointed to the Cabinet reinforces his commitments to give young people a prominent place in the Government.
“We have put the affairs of the state in the hands of the young people of Trinidad and Tobago,” he said.
Rowley then called on citizens to adopt a spirit of volunteerism where people willingly give back to the country.
“I want to appeal to the nation to bring back a sense of volunteerism…Not everything you do should carry a pay cheque. Let us get rid of the gimme gimme attitude. Let us be confident that what we have done in the dark can be defended in the light,” Rowley said.
On Wednesday, Rowley, Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and Minister of National Security retired Major General Edmund Dillon were sworn into office. The Cabinet will comprise of 23 members.
Other successful candidates, Glenda Jennings-Smith, Esmond Forde, Adrian Leonce and Dr Lovell Francis did not get any Cabinet positions.
The following is a list of the new government Cabinet:
- MP Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture and Land Resources
- MP Stuart Young, Minister in the Office of Attorney General and Legal Affairs
- MP Maxie Cuffie, Minister of Communications
- MP Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Community, Culture and the Arts
- MP Anthony Garcia, Minister of Education
- MP Nicole Olivierre, Minister of Energy and Energy Affairs
- MP Colm Imbert, Minister of Finance
- MP Senator Dennis Moses, Minister of Caricom and Foreign Affairs
- MP Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health
- MP Marlene McDonald, Minister of Housing and Urban Development
- MP Senator Jennifer Baptiste-Primus, Minster of Labour and Small Enterprises Development
- MP Camille Robinson-Regis, Minister of Planning and Sustainable Development
- MP Randall Mitchell, Minister of Public Administration
- MP Ancil Antoine, Minister of Public Utilities
- Senator Franklin Khan, Minister of Rural Development and Local Government
- MP Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn, Minister of Social Development and Family Services
- MP Darryl Smith, Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs
- MP Shamfa Cudjoe, Minister of Tourism
- Senator Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry
- MP Fitzgerald Hinds, Minister of Works and Transport
- MP Ayanna Webster Roy, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister
- Senator Avinash Singh, Parliament Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture
