Georgetown: The newly-elected David Granger Government A Partnership for National Unity-Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition says it is still deliberating on who will fill the ministerial positions and other key positions in its Government.
According to AFC General Secretary David Patterson the deliberations team has not yet decided on the persons who will take those positions since the number of Ministries was still to be decided.
According to Patterson, the new Government was looking to have the number of Ministries reduced and as such, merges between some of the ministries have been suggested.
Meanwhile, APNU General Secretary and now acting Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Joseph Harmon said that the coalition was still in intense discussion to decide on the ministerial positions. He noted that several persons have already been touted for key positions, but he could not disclose who those were and for which positions, stating that it was premature to do so.
Harmon, however, indicated that the Cummingsburg Accord was being followed and it was a guide to who was getting what as were the shadow portfolios which were held by the Members of Parliament in the 10th Parliament.
According to the Cummingsburg Accord, which was signed between the two parties on February 14, Valentine’s Day, the AFC would benefit from an enhanced prime ministerial position held by Moses Nagamootoo chairing the Cabinet. The AFC will significantly also hold 40 per cent of the Cabinet positions inclusive of the Ministries of Home Affairs, Tourism, Agriculture and Public Works.
Khemraj Ramjattan, Leader of the AFC, has been touted, Gto be Home Affairs Minister, while it is expected that Cathy Hughes will hold responsibility for Tourism. It is unclear who will head the Public Works Ministry from the AFC.
Former Finance Minister under the People’s National Congress (PNC) Government, Carl Greenidge has been mooted as the one to lead the Foreign Affairs Ministry with special attention to be placed on economic diplomacy, while Economist Winston Jordan, a former Director of Budget, has been tipped to head the Finance Ministry.
It is expected that Amna Ally, who served in the 10th Parliament as Shadow Minister of Education, will transition to hold that portfolio, with Nigel Hughes being tipped to become the next Attorney General.
Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, Leader of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) and Executive Member of APNU, is reportedly being considered for the position of one of the three Vice Presidents and Natural Resources and Environment Minister.
The veteran politician, however, said that he was prepared and ready to serve Guyanese people and would do so in whatever capacity required of him.
Dr Roopnaraine said, however, that even as the coalition was still discussing the number of Ministries and nothing has been finalised, he would like to see the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry relocated elsewhere since it should not be in the same compound as the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry currently has six other agencies under its umbrella, the Guyana Forestry Commission, Lands and Survey Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Protected Areas Commission (PAC); and the Guyana Gold Board (GGB).
Harmon said that the announcements should be made within days of the swearing-in, or as soon as the Constitution allowed since the Government had a packed agenda and wanted to start as early as possible.
In order for the Ministers to be sworn in, they would first have to be inducted as Members of Parliament.
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