Statement by the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Barbados
Prime Minister’s Office, Bay Street
May 26, 2018
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, Fellow Barbadians, residents, Ladies and Gentlemen.
Consistent with our declared intention to “hit the road running” as a newly elected government, I wish this afternoon to announce to the nation, the make up of the soon to be installed Cabinet of Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and Government Senators.
Indeed, the word “soon” might be misleading, for indeed, the ceremony for the swearing in of Ministers of Government and Parliamentary Secretaries will be held tomorrow, Sunday May 27th at Bay Street, just across from Government Headquarters. There will be personal invitations, but members of the public are also welcome to attend and witness the swearing in of the People’s Government.
I should point out from the outset that the Cabinet of Ministers will be relatively large, because I have not only considered the mandate given to us by the people, but also the scope of the work to be done and the level of expertise that is at our disposal among elected members.
Since I will be holding ministers to very high standards of efficiency and productivity I have therefore opted to share the workload across a significant proportion of the Parliamentary Group, rather than conform to the theory of a small cabinet thus creating an unrealistic setting for members to function effectively and produce in this prevailing environment.
Given the state of our economy and the tremendous work that will be involved in rescuing and rebuilding this country, the salaries of a couple extra ministers is relatively insignificant, given that there will be tremendous savings from the containment of wastage and the curtailment of corruption.
You will see from the structure and layout of the Cabinet that there are the traditional bedrock portfolios as well as the embrace of new concepts and opportunities. These include initiatives such as the pursuit of Maritime Exploits and the Blue Economy, the embrace by this Barbados Labour Party government of People Empowerment and Elder Care, the entire concept of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology, as well as the restoration of a stand alone Ministry of Home Affairs.
These are all vital components of the new multi-faceted Government and economy we are seeking to create all of which was outlined very clearly in our manifesto.
Similarly, I should point out here, that notwithstanding the nature of the composition of the Lower House of Parliament, the law provides for there to be three members of the Senate appointed to the Cabinet.
It is in that vein that we have constructed the new Government of Barbados, and it is now my pleasure to share the new members of our Cabinet with you, our employers, and the wider public of Barbados.
I have discussed with H.E. the Governor-General the fact that our Constitution does not make provision for the appointment of Opposition Senators in the absence of a Leader of the Opposition. We have discussed the need for an urgent amendment to the Constitution to allow the opposition political party securing the highest number of votes to recommend two appointments to the Senate.
In the event, that they fail to respond, the Governor-General will appoint two Senators acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister after the Prime Minister has consulted the organisations or interests which the Prime Minister considers the Senators should be selected to represent.
In the near future we shall be making announcements of key persons on whom we shall depend to resolve issues in mission critical areas.
Following is the composition of the Cabinet:
Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment – Hon. Mia Amor Mottley
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs – Hon. Dale Marshall
Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training and Leader of Government Business – Hon. Santia Bradshaw
Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – Hon. George Payne
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business in the Senate – Sen. Dr. Jerome Walcott
Minister International Business and Industry – Hon. Ronald Toppin
Minister of Environment and National Beautification – Hon. Trevor Prescod
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Hon. Cynthia Forde
Minister of Tourism and International Transport – Hon. Kerrie Symmonds
Minister of Transport, Works and Maintenance – Dr. Hon. William Duguid
Minister of Health and Wellness – Hon. Jeffrey Bostic
Minister of Home Affairs – Hon. Edmund Hinkson
Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce — Hon. Dwight Sutherland
Minister of Energy and Water Resources – Hon. Wilfred Abrahams
Minister in the Ministry of Finance – Hon. Ryan Straughn
Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs – Hon. Marsha Caddle
Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade – Hon. Sandra Husbands
Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations – Hon. Colin Jordan
Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – Hon. Charles Griffith
Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment – Hon. Adrian Forde
Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy – Hon. Kirk Humphrey
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security – Hon. Indar Weir
Minister in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Maintenance – Hon. Peter Phillips
Minister of Creative Economy, Culture and Sports – Hon. John King
Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology – Sen. Kay McConney
Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Public Affairs – Sen. Lucille Moe
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Technological] and Vocational Training – Sen. Dr. Rommel Springer
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Mr. Neil Rowe
Chief Economic Counsellor to the Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment – Ambassador Dr. Clyde Mascoll
Dame Billie Miller – Ambassador at Large and Ambassador Plenipotentiary
Proposed Speaker of the House – Arthur Holder
Proposed Deputy Speaker – Gline Clarke
Proposed Chairman of Committees – Dr. Sonia Browne
Senators
Proposed President of the Senate – Sir Richard Cheltenham
Proposed Deputy President of the Senate – Rudolph “Cappy” Greenidge
Jerome Walcott
Kay McConney
Lucille Moe
Rawdon Adams
Lisa Cummins
Rommel Springer
Rudy Grant
Lynette Holder
Damian Sands
Dr. Crystal Haynes
Ms. Pat Parris will be appointed Director of Public Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Mrs. Jessica Odle-Baril will be appointed Personal Aide to the Prime Minister.