Trinidad & Tobago: Prime Minister Keith Rowley announces major Cabinet re-shuffle

Trinidad & Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley, on Monday fired 2 senior Cabinet ministers in the first major reshuffle of his administration since the People’s National Movement (PNM) came to power on September 7 last year.

Rowley, who had during the budget debate last month, indicated that he would be making changes to his Cabinet, released the Energy & Energy Industries Minister Nicole Olivierre and the Public Utilities Minister Ancil Antoine.

Olivierre has been replaced by the former Minister for Rural Development and Local Government Franklyn Khan, who is also the PNM chairman, while Antoine has been replaced by the Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s office noted that Rowley had advised President Anthony Carmona to appoint Kazim Hosein as a Senator and Minister of Rural Development and Local Government. He will replace Sarah Budhu, whose appointment as a senator was revoked.

The statement also announced that Stuart Young, who had been the minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General has been re-assigned and is now the Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Prior to the announcement of the Cabinet re-shuffle, former housing minister in the previous administration, Roodal Moonilal, told reporters that the main Opposition United National Congress (UNC) wanted the removal of Attorney General Faris Al Rawi and the National Security Minister, Edmund Dillon.

He added that the Cabinet re-shuffle would not be significant given that “there is not sufficient talent and competence in the Cabinet at this time.”

In the last general election, Timothy Rowley and his PNM won 23 out of the 41 seats, defeating the coalition People’s Partnership government of then Prime Minister Kamla Persad Bissessar. -(CMC)