President David Granger, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, yesterday morning swore in Retired Army Colonel Joseph Harmon as the Minister of State of the Ministry of the Presidency.President Granger explained that Harmon’s official position will be that of Minister of State with duties similar to those that were carried out by Former Head of the Presidential Secretariat, under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Administration. He explained that the difference will be that this position will now be a political appointment.
This change is in line with the whole thrust of the new Administration, of bringing stronger cooperation and coordination among the different agencies and partners of the Government and the regions, the President explained. “We do not want an overbearing central Government, but we want a high level of coordination,” he said.
He explained that the role of the Cabinet Secretary will now be separate. Under the previous Administration, the roles of the HPS and the Cabinet Secretary were carried out by one individual, Dr. Roger Luncheon.
The President said that he expects that the Cabinet Secretary will be a public servant post. He reminded all though, that under the Cummingsburg Accord, this position can go to the Alliance For Change (AFC).
Harmon completed his law degree at Cave Hill in Barbados before attending the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad. On completion of his law studies, he served for some time in the army’s legal services department, where he was the Commanding Officer and he did some prosecution work.
After twenty-three years in the Guyana Defence Force, and another 15 years as a lawyer in private practice, Harmon became an “active politician”, eventually becoming a face in the 10th Sitting of the National Assembly as the A Partnership For National Unity (APNU) Shadow Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure.