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Holness keeps many of Golding’s ministers
Jamaica’s new prime minister appointed his government on Tuesday, leaving nearly all ministries unchanged while making relatively minor shifts that he said would accelerate administrative and economic reforms.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness (pictured), said his Cabinet represented a “new direction” for the Caribbean island while also providing stability. Yet his picks represented more continuity than change.
Holness kept many of the top ministers of predecessor Bruce Golding, who abruptly announced in late September that he was stepping down. Among the holdovers were the ministers of justice, foreign affairs and energy.
“The Jamaican people want to see decisive, instrumental and quick action because their challenges and problems are urgent,” Holness said Tuesday night. “In striking that balance you have to contend with a limited learning curve so you want to have change, but you certainly do not want to have chaos in change.”
As prime minister, Holness kept the education portfolio he had in Golding’s administration, while shifting planning responsibilities to the ministries of finance and housing.
