Ministerial musical chairs…
Major shuffling of Cabinet portfolios announced

Staff Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Sam Condor

On a local level, Douglas’ Cabinet ‘shake-up’ managed to overshadow the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics which was also broadcast at 8 a.m. on August 8, 2008.

While the reassignment of Hon. Dwyer Astaphan’s portfolios had been expected, few had foreseen a thorough rearranging of some of the government’s most developmentally important

“Consequent upon the resignation of the Hon. Dwyer Astaphan, it has become necessary for me to reassign and restructure a number of ministerial portfolios to ensure the continued implementation of our comprehensive agenda of social change

Hon. Dr. Timothy Harris

He said that because of this pressing problem of crime he will assume the portfolio of National Security. An official release from the Press Secretary cited Douglas’ “considerable experience” in this area as his main reasoning for assuming the responsibility.

According to his public address, Douglas’s assumption of the National Security portfolio “would not permit him to effectively carry out his duties in relation to one of the most critical Ministries in Government – the Ministry of Finance”.

~~Adz:Left~~ “I believe that we have, in my Cabinet, a Minister who by training, competence, and capability is very well equipped to assume the portfolio. I therefore propose to give Minister Timothy Harris responsibility for the Ministry of Finance,” the Prime Minister stated shortly before assuming one of Harris’ largest portfolios, Foreign Affairs.

Douglas continued to reshuffle portfolios in what was referred to as an effort to “distribute the workload among Ministers in a manner that would ensure that their effectiveness would not be compromised”.

Other changes included the Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. Sam Condor assuming the Labor portfolio from Astaphan’s former ministry and Information and Technology from the Prime Ministerial portfolio.

In order assist Condor in his new responsibilities, Minister of State, Hon. Nigel Carty will now be responsible for a portfolio identical to that of the Deputy Prime Minister. For Carty, the change in responsibilities also means he will no longer be assisting Douglas with Sustainable Development.

Hon. Rupert Herbert, Minister of Health and Environment will take responsibility for Social and Community Development and Gender Affairs from Condor’s portfolio.

Hon. Dr. Earl Asim Martin, who had been temporarily serving as the Acting Minister of National Security, Immigration and Labor since Astaphan’s July 31 resignation will now revert to his normal purview as Minister of Public Works, Utilities, Transport and Posts.

Douglas’ move has set the proverbial tongues wagging and the minds of political pundits racing, pondering why the restructuring came at this particular point in time with general elections for the twin island federation being constitutionally due next year.

Hon. Rupert Herbert