PORT-OF-SPAIN – MERE minutes before attorney and PNM Senator Garvin Simonette was to be sworn-in as the new public administration minster, his appointment has been revoked.
Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley will have control of the public administration portfolio until a replacement is found.
Simonette was to be sworn in at 2 p.m. on Monday but an Office of the Prime Minister Facebook post at 1.46 p.m. stated: “The President has been asked to revoke the appointment of Ms Marlene McDonald as Minister of Public Administration.
“The Prime Minister retains the Public Administration portfolio temporarily until a new appointment is made shortly.
The announced swearing in of Senator Garvin Simonette to this position has been cancelled in light of new information.”
Shortly after the government announced the decision to appoint Simonette to replace McDonald on Monday morning, photos began circulating of a 2014 mugshot of Simonette from the Brevard County’s police officer in Oklahoma, USA.
The arrest record said the booking relates to a charge for driving under the influence.
He was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn, London in 1987.
Simonette is law graduate of the University of the West Indies and holds an LLM from the University of London.
On the OPM’s Facebook page a number of people began commenting.
Khadeem K, said, “Another ‘faux pas’ who advising the goodly PM?”
Amit NR said, “This Prime Minister and government cannot be serious! They don’t even perform a background check on their own people. Thank God for Devant Maharaj!”
