State board resignations expected after election

RESIGNATIONS are expected from the boards of State enterprises and other state agencies after the April 28 general election.

This is a normal practice which happens when a political party is voted out of office and another takes its place.

All of these boards were appointed under the PNM which was in government from September 7, 2015- April 28.

The UNC was elected as the government in the April 28 election, winning 26 constituencies.

The PNM won 13 and the Tobago People's Party won two.

Sources speaking on condition of anonymity said the current board of directors of the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago (Udecott) are expected to demit office after UNC political leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar and other new government ministers are sworn in at President's House, St Ann's on May 1.

One source said, "All members have agreed to resign and will submit to the relevant government minister as soon as he/she is appointed."

Udecott, which oversees many government projects, has reported to different ministries over time.

These have included the Housing and Urban Development Ministry and the Planning and Development Ministry.

Before April 28, Udecott reported to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

A second source said, "we don’t know (which minister) so we await the appointment of the Cabinet and the assignment of portfolios."

The incumbent Udecott board includes Noel Garcia (chairman), Tamica Charles (CEO), Janelle Berkley, Maureen Braveboy, Jade Brown, Vashti Phekoo and Kimberly Carr-Hamilton.

Existing government ministries have been either expanded, reduced or new ministries created when either the PNM or the UNC have been in government.

In the May 2010-September 2015 tenure of the UNC-led People's Partnership (PP) government, the Works and Transport Ministry was separated into the Works and Infrastructure Ministry and the Transport Ministry.

When the PNM returned to office after the September 7, 2015 election, the Works and Transport Ministry was restored.

The PNM removed the Justice Ministry which was created by the PP in its tenure.

Ministry names have been changed by both parties.

The Energy Ministry has been called the Energy and Energy Industries Ministry (PNM) and the Energy and Energy Affairs Ministry (UNC).

Persad-Bissessar has spoken in the recent election campaign of creating separate home affairs and defence ministries.

Under the PNM between September 2015- April, a Digital Transformation Ministry was created.

Responsibilities for different state entities could also shift between different government ministries, depending on decisions taken by Persad-Bissessar's new cabinet.

Prior to the PP's election in May 2010, Caribbean Airlines (CAL) reported to the Works and Transport Ministry.

Under the PP, CAL was shifted to the Finance Ministry.

The airline stayed under this ministry when the PNM assumed office in September 2015.

On April 29, Sahid Hosein has resigned chairman of the National Petroleum Marketing Co Ltd.

He was appointed to this post in 2015 under the PNM.