(Trinidad Express) The Office of the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon issued a statement disclosing the Robert Le Hunte, cannot hold a senatorial or ministerial portfolio. This is the statement explaining why –
It has come to the attention of the Honourable Prime Minister that Mr Robert Le Hunte is a citizen of Ghana and accordingly he is not qualified under section 42(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to be a appointed as a Senator.
Accordingly, the Honourable Prime Minister has so informed the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
Mr Le Hunte will be rectifying his position and once this is done the Honourable Prime Minister will appoint him as a Senator and as Minister of Public Utilities. Under these circumstances, until the matter is rectified, the Honourable Prime Minister will assume the portfolio of Minister of Public Utilities.
It is expected that this situation will be rectified by Friday 1 September, 2017.
I am ready:
Upon his appointment by the President last Friday, Le Hunte said he had every confidence in leading his ministry and tackling the fiscal woes surrounding State entities such as Water and Sewerage Authority (WASA), Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission (T&TEC), Petrotrin and Telecommunications Services of Trinidad and Tobago (TSTT).
“I am going to give dedicated, hard work…passionate work as I’ve done in the private sector to try to make the ministry as effective and efficient as possible, especially during these times where efficiency is going to be very important where we have a lot less to go around,” he said.
“I have every confidence in my ability and I have confidence in the Prime Minister and his judgment in selecting me and I am going to go out there and try my best to serve the people… There’s a song that I like by Whitney Houston, ‘There’s one moment in time when you have to take it and make it shine’, and this is the moment so I look forward to, just going out there and serving the people as best as I can and the chips may fall wherever they may be,” he added.
Le Hunte, former managing director of HFC Bank in Ghana, which is owned by local banking group Republic Financial Holdings (RFHL), said that after 30 years in the private sector, he believes the call to public service is where God wants him to be.
