– says Greenidge, Roopnaraine bring wealth of experience

PRESIDENT David Granger said his government is open to working with the three remaining former Ministers of Government who recently resigned as a result of their dual citizenship, but said the “ball is in their court”.

Already, former Minister of State, Joseph Harmon, has been appointed Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency, and will continue to work with President Granger. Will the other former ministers – Carl Greenidge, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine and Dominic Gaskin – continue to work in the Public Sector? According to President Granger, it is their choice to make.
Speaking with reporters on the sideline of a swearing-in-ceremony at the Ministry of the Presidency on Thursday, the Head of State said government would do well with Greenidge and Dr. Roopnaraine’s wealth of knowledge and experience.

President Granger said he has had discussions with the former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge; and the former Minister of Public Service and Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine, with the hope of having them continue to assist the government.

“Mr. Greenidge, for example, served under President Burnham and President Hoyte. He has tremendous experience and I hope that he will continue to serve. It is up to him. Minister Roopnaraine, as well, has brought a lot of experience as an academic… (but) it is up to him,” the President told reporters.

The President repeatedly expressed his hope of the former ministers returning to assist the government in the execution of its functions. “I would like them to work. It is not a question of offer, but it is up to them to decide if they want to continue to serve. I would like to have them on board,” he reiterated.

In the case of Harmon, he will assist the President while operating as the Director-General of the Ministry of the Presidency.

“Well his functions are to continue to assist me in the administration of the Ministry of the Presidency. All ministers are my assistants but Mr. Harmon, in particular, will have a non-ministerial role in helping me to manage the Ministry of the Presidency,” the President explained.

He noted that the Ministry of the Presidency comprises several large departments and commissions including the Department of the Environment, the Department of Public Service, the Department of Social Cohesion, Culture, Youth and Sport and the Department of Energy.

“These are all very large administrative, very huge administrative responsibilities, and I need his assistance in helping me to manage them,” President Granger added.

At a post-Cabinet media briefing later on Thursday, the newly-appointed Director-General said his new position and the appointment and re-assigning of ministers have been done to re-balance the government. Harmon told reporters that duties and responsibilities as Director-General are being fine-tuned.
“You would appreciate that this re-balancing takes time and also the actual designation of some former ministers and the duties which they perform are still works in progress. I could say to you that one specific responsibility that I have been given is the continuation of Post-Cabinet Press Briefing. In fact, the President has invited me to sit in the Cabinet meetings so that I can brief the nation…,” he explained.
The four Government MPs with dual citizenship resigned with effect from April 25, 2019 in keeping with the indications of the High Court and Court of Appeal, that it is unconstitutional for a person who swore allegiance, obedience or adherence to a foreign power or state to be a Member of Parliament.

The former ministers have been replaced by Dr. Karen Cummings, Minister of Foreign Affairs; Haimraj Rajkumar, Minister of Business; Dawn Hastings-Williams, Minister of State; and Tabitha Sarabo-Halley, Minister of Public Service.

President David Granger has not ruled out appointing an additional junior minister, now that he has re-assigned Annette Ferguson as Minister within the Ministry of Communities with responsibility of Housing. Prior to her transfer, she was a Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure. According to him, he will continue to assess the situation. “Well as I said, we are in the process of re-balancing the government and after the next Cabinet meeting, after I’ve had the opportunity to have discussions with the ministers, I can see what assistance they need and if that necessity arises, I will act on the basis of their advice and based on my own considered judgment,” he told reporters.