BREAKING NEWS: Cabinet reshuffles again

President David Granger has made several adjustments to the Cabinet.

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, on Tuesday (June 13, 2017) announced that there have been changes in the portfolios held by both Education Ministers Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and his junior, Nicolette Henry.

Dr. Roopnaraine is a member of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) which forms part of the governing Coalition.

Dr. Roopnarine will be reassigned to the Ministry of the Presidency to head the Department of Public Service. and will still remain a member of Cabinet and the National Assembly.

As a result, Henry will now take up the post as Education Minister.

However, “a Department which will oversee the innovation and reform of the Education sector, will be established within the Ministry of the Presidency under the purview of the President.”

According to Harmon, Dr. Roopnaraine will still remain a member of Cabinet and the National Assembly.

This decision was taken at today’s meeting (Tuesday, June 13, 2017) of Cabinet.

The appointments will take effect from Thursday, June 15, 2017.

Minister Harmon said the changes are geared at ensuring that better educational and public services are provided to the Guyanese people in a smooth and efficient manner.

In 2016, the President had also initiated some changes to his Cabinet. Minister Catherine Hughes was appointed  Minister of Public Telecommunications while the Ministry of Governance and the Protection of the National Patrimony were delinked  and the latter renamed the Ministry of Natural Resources and assigned to Minister Raphael Trotman. The functions of the Ministry of Governance were then added to the portfolio of Prime Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo. In addition, Minister Simona Broomes was also shifted from the Ministry of Social Protection to the Ministry of Natural Resources, while Minister Keith Scott was moved to the Ministry of Social Protection from the Ministry of Communities and was tasked with responsibility for Labour.  Minister Valerie Sharpe-Patterson was then given the nod for the post of Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing.

In January of this year, President Granger made some additional changes to his Cabinet, reassigning Minister Volda Lawrence from the Ministry of Social Protection to head the Ministry of Public Health while Minister Amna Ally was moved from the Ministry of Social Cohesion to the Ministry of Social Protection.  Former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton was moved then from the Ministry of Public Health to the Ministry of Social Cohesion, which falls under the purview of the  Ministry of the Presidency.