Cabinet reshuffle is “recycling incompetence from one Ministry to another”- PPP

The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) has noted with interest the Cabinet reshuffle announced by President David Granger on Tuesday, however the party sees the changes as insignificant.

“In any event, the changes are by no means substantial or meaningful and are patently a case of musical chairs, recycling incompetence from one Ministry to another” were the words used to describe the moves.

To commence 2017, President David Granger announced that Public Health Minister, Dr. George Norton was demoted to serve as a Minister of Social Cohesion which falls under the Ministry fo the Presidency. Minister of Social Protection, Volda Lawrence was promoted to Public Health Minister, and Social Cohesion Minister Ally will assume the portfolio of Social Protection.

The party went on to highlight that it cannot escape its attention that one of the reshuffled Minister, Volda Lawerence was seen “leading a small group of protestors” in a counter Vigil outside of The Red House on Friday (December 30, 2016) which ended in a physical fight between the Minister’s followers and a member of the PPP’s Candlelight Vigil.

The reshuffle was also dubbed an “appeasement measure by Granger towards its junior coalition partner, the AFC in light of the escalating tense and fractious relationship between the two coalition partners” as the three Ministers are members of A Partnership of National Unity (APNU), and a diversion from several other issues.