Caption: Members of the newly sworn-in Cabinet of Kamla Persad-Bissessar. AZP News/Azlan Mohammed
By Alicia Chamely
THE first order of business of the new Cabinet of Trinidad and Tobago is boots on the ground.
This was the order given by Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar at the swearing-in ceremony at the President’s House St Ann’s on Saturday.
Thirty-two ministers and Parliamentary secretaries were sworn in by President Christine Kangaloo, making this the second-largest cabinet in Trinidad and Tobago’s history. The largest was that of the UNC-led People’s Partnership Government in 2010.
Making up the cabinet were 26 persons who had contested seats under the UNC banner. Two ministerial positions went to members of the Oilfield Trade Workers Union (OWTU). No positions were given to members of the Congress of the People (COP) nor the People’s Empowerment Party (PEP), both of whom formed a part of the UNC’s coalitions of interest.
Persad-Bissessar said work had already begun for Attorney General John Jeremie who had been instructed to push forward with the government’s legislative agenda as they moved forward to open parliament.
She said two areas of legislation that have been given priority in keeping the UNC’s campaign promises were the repeal of the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority (TTRA) and the creation of stand your ground and home invasion laws.
Regarding stand your ground and home invasion laws, Persad-Bissessar said Jeremie had been tasked to map the regulations needed to grant firearms to law-abiding citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.
Persad-Bissessar said the Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo had been mandated to examine the state of the Treasury before plans to execute all other initiatives promised during the election campaign could begin. She said she would have a report by Tancoo on Monday.
She said her ministers had been instructed to develop revenue streams into the country.
Persad-Bissessar said Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Dr Roodal Moonilal had been asked to explore the offer from Guyana to bring gas to Trinidad and Tobago, and to explore what partnerships can be made with Suriname.
In addition to reaching out to Guyana and Suriname, she revealed T&T was looking into developing a relationship with Grenada.
Persad-Bissessar said, “I have a surprise for you. I intend to send my Minister of Energy to Grenada, because I have been told, Grenada offshore has more gas and oil than the Dragon field.”
@azpnews.com Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar says Stand Your Ground Laws coming as well as the Repeal of the Revenue Authority. Video: Prior Beharry @kamla.persad.bissessar @uncofficialtiktok @uncandproud @uncnationalyoutharm @uncfortt @official.unc0 #UNC #KamlaPersadBissessar #PrimeMinister #SwearinginCeremony #cabinet #laws #standyourground
She said it was her government’s belief that energy relationships within CARICOM should be prioritised and that our country’s experience should be marketed as beneficial to newer emerging markets within the region.
Persad-Bissessar said of her cabinet, “They will get their instructions and some of them will tell you they will get bouff if it doesn’t happen.”
The newly appointed ministers are as follows:
- Minister of Agriculture of Land and Fisheries Senator Ravi Ratiram
- Minister of Justice, Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Devish Maharaj
- Minister of culture and community development Michelle Benjamin
- Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Culture and Community Development Dr Narindra Roopnarine
- Minister of Defence Wayne Sturge
- Minister of Education Dr Michael Dowlath
- Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Dr Roodal Moonilal
- Minister in the Ministry and Energy Industries Ernesto Kesar
- Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo
- Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs Sean Sobers
- Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign CARICOM Affairs and Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister Nicholas Morris
- Minister of Health Dr Lackram Bodoe
- Minister in the Ministry of Health Dr Rishad Seecharan
- Minister of Homeland Security Roger Alexander
- Minister of Housing Dr David Lee
- Minister in the Ministry of Housing Senator Anil Roberts
- Minister of Labour, Small and Microenterprise Development Senator Leroy Baptiste
- Minister of Legal Affairs and Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture Land and Fisheries Saddam Hosein
- Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Utilities Barry Padarath
- Minister of the People, Social Development and Family Services Vandana Mohit
- Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services Senator Dr Natalie Chaitan-Maharaj
- Minister of Planning and development Affairs Senator Kennedy Swaratsingh
- Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence Senator Dominic Smith
- Minister in the Ministry of Public Utilities Clyde Elder
- Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Public Utilities Shivana Sam
- Minister of Rural Development and Local Government Khadijah Ameen
- Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Philip Watts
- Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training Senator Prakash Persad
- Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Education and Skills Training Hansen Narinesingh
- Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Trade Investment and Tourism Dr Neil Gosine
- Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Senator Eli Zackour
- Minister of Works and Infrastructure Senator Jearlean John
