Ali swears in 19 ministers
-Hugh Todd at Foreign Affairs, Vickram Bharrat at Natural Resources, Zulfikar Mustapha at Agriculture
Nineteen ministers were added to the administration of President Irfaan Ali yesterday and among them are some veterans who have served in previous PPP/C’s administrations and also quite a few new faces.
There were some notable omissions as well as surprise inclusions when the new individuals took their oaths of office at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre yesterday before a sizable crowd of their relatives and friends, PPP/C well-wishers, members of the diplomatic corps, and heads of the joint services, among others.
Veterans likes Clement Rohee, Indra Chandarpal, and Dr Jennifer Westford, who all served in previous PPP/C administrations as ministers, were not given positions and were noticeably absent from the event while those returning include Priya Manickchand, Robeson Benn, Bishop Juan Edghill, and Pauline Sukhai.
The crucial portfolio of Natural Resources will be headed by former teacher, Vickram Bharrat who served as a parliamentarian prior to his appointment.
PPP Executive Secretary Zulfikar Mustapha was named Agriculture Minister, his first ministerial post even though he has also served in the National Assembly and was the General
Secretary of the PPP/C at one time.
Pauline Sukhai returns to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, which she headed prior to the party’s 2015 defeat.
Another new face is that of Charles Ramson Jr, who was named Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport.
Former University of Guyana lecturer, Hugh Todd, was another new face to the administration and he was given the crucial portfolio Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Manickchand is once again the Minister of Education.
Dr Frank Anthony, who previously served as the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport in a PPP/C administration was sworn in as Minister of Health, while Robeson Benn, a former Minister of Public Works, now holds the important portfolio of Minister of Home Affairs.
Former permanent secretary and parliamentarian Collin Croal is the new Minister of Housing and Water, and he will be supported by another new face, Susan Rodrigues, who was sworn as minister within that ministry.
The portfolio of Human Services and Social Security was given to Dr
Vindhya Persaud, a medical doctor and a former parliamentarian, while Joseph Hamilton, who left the PNC in recent years to join the PPP/C is the new Minister of Labour.
Nigel Dharamlall is the new Minister of Local Government while Channel 69 proprietor Anand Persaud is the Minister in the Ministry of Local Government.
Kwame McCoy was named as Minister in the Ministry of the Prime Minister and attorney-atlaw Sonia Parag is now Minister of Public Service.
Bishop Juan Edghill has been named as the Minister of Public Works and former Chamber of Commerce head Deodat Indar as Minister in the Ministry of Public Works.
Attorney-at-law Oneidge Walrond has been named as the Minister of Tourism and Industry.
There was no announcement regarding the Finance portfolio and there is speculation that this will be entrusted to Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo.
It was also not stated whether oil and gas is part of the natural resources portfolio.
Gail Teixeira was appointed as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs on Sunday as well as Anil Nandlall as Attorney General.
Plans
Todd, who holds a Masters in Political Science, told the Stabroek News that his plans for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be directed by the President’s plans adding
Turn to centre pages