President David Granger has made several adjustments to the Cabinet and Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, moments ago, announced that there have been changes in the portfolios held by Minister Nicolette Henry and Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine.

According to a brief statement by Minister Harmon, which was issued by the Ministry of the Presidency, Dr Roopnaraine, who is Minister of Education, has been moved to the Ministry of the Presidency (MOTP), with direct responsibility for public service.

Harmon noted that Henry, who is a junior minister within the ministry, will “continue to perform the functions of the office of Minister of Education until further notice.”

According to Harmon, the cabinet reshuffle will take effect from June 15, 2017; it was noted that Dr Roopnaraine will remain a member of Cabinet and the National Assembly.

Meanwhile, the State Minister noted that a department under the MOTP will be created to oversee “innovation and reform in the education sector,” which will fall under the direct responsibility of President David Granger.

Minster Harmon said that the Head of State has full confidence in his Ministers’ abilities to fulfill the new responsibilities to which they have been assigned.

“He continues to have full confidence in Dr. Roopnaraine as a valued member of Cabinet as well as a valued member of the National Assembly and it is felt that overseeing the Public Service would add to the quality of service, which is provided to the people of Guyana,” Minister Harmon said.

In 2016, the President had also initiated some changes to his Cabinet. Minister Catherine Hughes was appointed  Minister of Public Telecommunications while the Ministry of Governance and the Protection of the National Patrimony were delinked  and the latter renamed the Ministry of Natural Resources and assigned to Minister Raphael Trotman.

The functions of the Ministry of Governance were then added to the portfolio of Prime Minister, Mr. Moses Nagamootoo. In addition, Minister Simona Broomes was also shifted from the Ministry of Social Protection to the Ministry of Natural Resources, while Minister Keith Scott was moved to the Ministry of Social Protection from the Ministry of Communities and was tasked with responsibility for Labour.  Minister Valerie Sharpe-Patterson was then given the nod for the post of Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility for Housing.

In January of this year, President Granger made some additional changes to his Cabinet, reassigning Minister Volda Lawrence from the Ministry of Social Protection to head the Ministry of Public Health while Minister Amna Ally was moved from the Ministry of Social Cohesion to the Ministry of Social Protection.  Former Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton was moved then from the Ministry of Public Health to the Ministry of Social Cohesion, which falls under the purview of the  Ministry of the Presidency.