Newly installed Prime Minister Mia Mottley today announced a 30-member Cabinet, including two ambassadorial-level advisors.
These are former Deputy Prime Minister Dame Billie Miller, who is to be appointed Ambassador at Large and Plenipotentiary, and economist Dr Clyde Mascoll, who is to be appointed as Chief Economic Counsellor in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment headed by Mottley.
In making the announcement, the Prime Minister said Dame Billie and Mascoll would attend Cabinet as necessary given the task that is required to get Barbados out of its “perilous” economic state.
In addition to the key finance and economic affairs portfolios, the Prime Minister will also have responsibility for national security, as part of the enlarged Cabinet team, which also includes a new Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy to be headed by development specialist Kirk Humphrey; and a Ministry of the Creative Economy to be headed by entertainer John King, who will also take charge of the culture and sports portfolios.
There is also a People’s Empowerment and Elders Affairs Ministry, headed by Member of Parliament for St Thomas Cynthia Forde, as part of the new-look Cabinet, which has ten more members than the previous Freundel Stuart-led administration.
The full team is to be sworn in here on Sunday.
The Primer Minister also announced a total of 12 new senators, with Barbados Labour Party (BLP) elder Sir Richard Cheltenham heading the list. He is to be appointed President of the Senate while another BLP stalwart and former Cabinet minister Rudolph “Cappy” Greenidge is due to be appointed his deputy.
Today Mottley also revealed some key appointments to be made to the Parliament once it is convened.
These include successful St Michael Central candidate Arthur Holder to the position of Speaker of the House; Member of Parliament for St George North Glyne Clarke as his deputy and Member of Parliament for St Philip North Dr Sonia Browne as Chairman of Committees.
Rounding off today’s appointments by the new Prime Minister, who took the oath of office before Governor General Dame Sandra Mason yesterday following her party’s overwhelming victory at the polls in which it claimed all 30 seats at stake, are those of ex-diplomat Jessica Odle-Baril as Mottley’s Personal Aide and Pat Parris, the former executive assistant to the Leader of the Opposition, as Director of Public Affairs in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Mottley is also to finalize by Monday the appointment of a Director of Communications and Social Media to fill the traditional role of Press Secretary in the Government.
She also served notice that some “czars” would soon be appointed in mission critical areas.
Following is the full Cabinet announced by Mottley today:
Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Economic Affairs and Investment – Mia Mottley
Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs – Dale Marshall
Minister of Education, Technological & Vocational Training and Leader of Government Business – Santia Bradshaw
Minister of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – George Payne
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Leader of Government Business in the Senate – Senator Dr Jerome Walcott
Minister of International Business and Industry – Ronald Toppin
Minister of Environment and National Beautification – Trevor Prescod
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Cynthia Forde
Minister of Tourism and International Transport – Kerrie Symmonds
Minister of Transport Works and Maintenance – Dr William Duguid
Minister of Health and Wellness – Jeffrey Bostic
Minister of Home Affairs – Edmund Hinkson
Minister of Small Business, Entrepreneurship and Commerce – Dwight Sutherland
Minister of Energy and Water Resources – Wilfred Abrahams
Minister in the Ministry of Finance – Ryan Straughn
Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment – Marsha Caddle
Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Trade – Sandra Husbands
Minister of Labour and Social Partnership Relations – Colin Jordan
Minister in the Ministry of Housing, Lands and Rural Development – Charles Griffith
Minister of Youth and Community Empowerment – Adrian Forde
Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy – Kirk Humphrey
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security – Indar Weir
Minister in the Ministry of Transport Works and Maintenance – Peter Phillips
Minister of the Creative Economy, Culture and Sports – John King
Minister of Innovation, Science and Smart Technology – Senator Kay McConney
Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Public Affairs- Senator Lucille Moe
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Technological & Vocational Training – Senator Dr Rommel Springer
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of People’s Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Neil Rowe
Chief Economic Counsellor – Ambassador Dr Clyde Mascoll
Ambassador at Large and Plenipotentiary – Dame Billie Miller
The full list of Government Senators are:
Senator Sir Richard Cheltenham
Senator Rudolph Cappy Greenidge
Senator Dr Jerome Walcott
Senator Kay McConney
Senator Lucille Moe
Senator Rawdon Adams
Senator Lisa Cummins
Senator Rudy Grant
Senator Dr Rommel Springer
Senator Lynette Holder
Senator Damien Sands
Senator Dr Chrystal Haynes