Two weeks after his New National Party (NNP) defeated the incumbent National Democratic Congress (NDC) in a landslide, historic vote on Feb. 19, Grenada Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has named an 11–member cabinet.
“The biggest challenges were who to leave out for the time being,” said Mitchell as the members of his cabinet were sworn into office during a public ceremony at the National Stadium in St. George’s, the Grenada capital, on Sunday.
Mitchell said his Cabinet is smaller than his predecessor’s, Tillman Thomas.
It does not include retired school teacher Clifton Paul who defeated the former prime minister, as well as Tobia Clement, a lecturer at the St. George’s University, who defeated former finance minister Nazim Burke.
Mitchell said that the two legislators, as well as Yolande Bain-Horsford, will receive additional allowances for their constituencies and be briefed weekly by a specially-appointed Cabinet Committee.
The prime minister, however, said that it is possible that those who were not given ministerial portfolios would be included in future Cabinets.
“It is quite possible that people who serve as back benchers today can be full-fledged ministers in the not too distant future”, he said, stating that his new administration understands its priority is to secure jobs and help create an environment that will create more jobs.
He assured the nation that, within the first 100 days, the foundation of his plan for economic expansion will become clearer.
Mitchell, who led a previous Grenada government for 13 years before he was defeated by the NDC in 2008, said his administration would pursue a robust foreign policy, expand cooperation with South and Central America, Asia and Africa, adding that “all bona fide investors” would be welcomed in the country.
The cabinet comprises: Dr. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister, Minister for Finance, Energy, National Security, Public Administration, Disaster Preparedness, Home Affairs, Implementation and Information; Elvin Nimrod – Deputy Prime Minister, Attorney General, Minister for Legal Affairs, Labor, Local Government and Carriacou and Petit Martinique Affairs; Gregory Bowen – Minister of Communications and Works, Physical Development, Public Utilities and Information Communication Technology. Anthony Boatswain – Minister of Education and Human Resource Development; Claris Modeste – Minister of Health and Social Security (National Insurance Service); Roland Bhola – Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; Nickolas Steele – Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Business; Emmalin Pierre – Minister of Youth, Sports and Ecclesiastical Relations; Alexandria Otway-Noel – Minister of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture; Oliver Joseph – Minister of Economic Development, Trade, Planning and Cooperative; Delma Thomas – Minister of Social Development, Housing and Community Development.
Junior Ministers are: Alvin Dabreo – Responsible for Information Communications Technology in the Ministry of Communications and Works, Physical Development and Public Utilities; Kenny Lalsingh – Responsible for Finance, Energy, National Security, National Disaster, Home Affairs, and Implementation and Information.
Parliamentary Secretaries are: Winston Garraway – Finance, Energy, National Security, National Disaster, Home Affairs, Implementation and Information; Sheldon Scott – Youth, Sports and Ecclesiastical Relations; Brenda Hood – Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation.
