By Svetlana Marshall
THERE is need for clarity, President David Granger said on Monday, in response to calls made by the Alliance for Change (AFC) to have the Minister of State Joseph Harmon stripped of his responsibilities, but made it clear that he is standing by Harmon.The AFC had joined with the other opposition parties that comprise the APNU (A Partnership for National Unity) to oust the PPP from office in the May 2015 general elections. The AFC leaders in the Cabinet are expected to raise this issue for discussion.
On Sunday, AFC said that the concentration of the powers of the office of the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister of State in the Ministry of the Presidency, and the effective Head of the Presidential Secretariat in a single person, is the root of the problems facing the Government with respect to Minister Harmon.
“The responsibilities of each of the above portfolios are substantial and of critical importance to the smooth operations of the Government, and would benefit from separate appointments,” the alliance said, stating clearly that it has mandated its leadership in Cabinet to have these issues raised and addressed as a matter of national importance.
But President Granger in underscoring the importance for clarity, alluded to the fact that a statement was issued on the roles and responsibilities of all of the 14 Ministers and the Ministry of the Presidency – a statement which he said had received no objection.
“Nobody made any objection to the duties which were assigned to the Minister of State then (during the retreat) and it would be surprising that after two months that people feel that the duties have been misused or they need to be trimmed…but as far as I am concerned there is no over burdening of the Ministry.”
AFC is of the opinion that the positions of Minister of State, Head of Presidential and Cabinet Secretary should be given to three different persons, but the President in weighing in on the matter said, “I don’t think it is so burdensome,” making it clear that he was standing by the duties which were assigned to Minister Harmon last May.
But Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, though defending Minister Harmon’s integrity, endorsed the notion put by the AFC that there should be separation of duties.
The Prime Minister explained that traditionally, the position of Secretary to Cabinet has always been a position held by a retired public servant.
“Secondly, the Head of the Presidential Secretariat had performed all of the functions – Secretary to the Cabinet, Advisor to the Government, everything else as super Minister – and…one has to look at whether the HPS would assume the restricted function of Head of the Presidential Secretariat; now you have the Ministry of the Presidency, and then you have a Minister within the Ministry of the Presidency, that is the Minister of State.”
The Prime Minister said that the AFC’s position was no indictment of anyone.
“I subscribe that he (Minister Harmon) is an honest person, but we are not talking about (a) person, we are talking about responsibilities; how to defuse and share responsibilities, so it may not be too cumbersome on one person to handle and juggle many portfolios.”