Back to the future

THE PRIME Minister’s new Cabinet signals his intent to get back to the work of preparing for the future while drawing on the past. There is a good mix of experience and youth.

The question, however, is whether the right balance between continuity and change has been struck.

“Leave well enough alone” was perhaps the thinking behind keeping crucial ministries as they were. National Security, Finance, Health, Energy, Agriculture, Works, Local Government, Planning, Trade and Industry – all are unchanged, as is the most senior appointment of all, that of the Attorney General.

But the speculation that had surrounded the status of Colm Imbert underlined the view of some that though Mr Imbert’s five years at the Finance Ministry is an asset, since it removes the need to teach someone else the ropes, there is a public-relations dimension to the portfolio to which he is ill-suited.

If we are to be administered bitter medicine, then it would help to have a sense of empathy, reliability and communications savvy alongside it. Whatever his strengths, Mr Imbert may well be unable to deliver on this requirement, something which the PM may have sensed, given the addition of Brian Manning to the ministry.

A different problem is faced by the veteran Franklin Khan. Old models that worked in the petrochemical industry may still be relevant, but only to the extent that the transition to green energy remains a work in progress. On that note, it is disappointing to see one of the most crucial issues facing the planet – the environment – disappear from focus, though it may resurface when these portfolios are gazetted.

Fitzgerald Hinds is a PNM stalwart; but the task of introducing a national youth service begs for a youthful appointee. And why is Culture now a mere appendage of Tourism?

More forward-looking is the surprise return of Dr Amery Browne, to Foreign Affairs (Pennelope Beckles had been tipped for this post). Either would be an improvement on Dennis Moses, whose taciturn performance grated.

With speculation about the future leadership of the PNM, Ms Beckles takes on a symbolically important ministry, Housing, a difficult post once held by Dr Rowley himself.

It is a relief to see a youthful yet experienced face in the form of Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly at Education, where the system needs to be dragged into the 21st century, especially given covid19. The pandemic has shown up wide disparities of access to resources, a matter acutely felt by children.

Though it is good to see Dr Gadsby-Dolly among the female ministers who comprise a healthy 40 per cent or so of the Cabinet, we could have done without Dr Rowley’s off-key statement about putting mothers to educate.

Like some of these appointments, that outdated explanation took us a step back even as we look to move forward.