Changes to five key Cabinet posts: Young's A-Team

PRIME MINISTER Stuart Young and Attorney General Camille Robinson-Regis were sworn in to form the basic core of a Cabinet, and hours later, 27 other ministers also took oaths of office, administered by President Christine Kangaloo at President's House, St Ann's, on March 17.

Young retains his role as Energy Minister.

Former public utilities minister Marvin Gonzales became new Minister of National Security, replacing Fitzgerald Hinds who becomes a Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

Former permanent secretary and diplomat Vishnu Dhanpaul is the new Finance Minister, replacing Colm Imbert who became Public Utilities Minister.

Adrian Leonce joins Cabinet as Housing Minister, replacing Robinson-Regis with whom he had worked closely as her former junior minister.

Minister of Digital Transformation Hassel Bacchus retains his portfolio but also becomes a junior minister in the Finance Ministry, alongside Brian Manning.

After the swearing-in ceremony, the newly-positioned ministers (except Imbert) spoke to reporters.

Young explained the reasoning behind the overall shape of his Cabinet, most of whom retained their posts allotted under former PM Dr Keith Rowley, but with several notable changes.

Asked about him retaining the energy portfolio, he said appointments were always at the discretion of the PM, who usually has "a bit more information than everyone else."

Saying the energy ministry was critical, he recalled, "The amount of work that has gone into it and, in particular, the specific emphasis when you are dealing with geopolitics right now and where TT falls in that with respect to our Ministry of Energy and Energy Industries – what we have been able to achieve and what we have got done – but also some of the things that need a bit of focus and emphasis."

He said, "So at this stage, I thought it prudent to hold onto that portfolio until an appropriate time.

"I am the one who has worked it through. I am the one who for the last few years has managed to pull a lot of threads together. At this stage, it is important that we see how things are unfolding and I will continue with the relationships I have built.

"In that portfolio in particular, it is very relationship-specific, and for somebody now to jump in at this stage and manage those relationships and technical aspects, not only in geopolitics but also with the multinational oil and gas companies. I have the ability where I am already in contact with the decision-makers in the boardrooms in many countries. So at this stage, that is the reason."

Reporters asked about Gonzales in the Ministry of National Security.

Young said, "It is a new chapter. What you are going to see is a lot of different things happening, built on a solid platform."

He said Gonzales has always served on the National Security Council, has experience in the police service and is an attorney-at-law.

"I think at this stage, with where we are right now, Minister Gonzales will take that portfolio, as you all have just seen."

Young said he has added Hinds to the OPM as he has many strengths.

"There are certain strengths I want to deploy with respect to Minister Hinds a little closer to me."

Reporters asked about the shift of Imbert into the Ministry of Public Utilities.

Young said Imbert was the longest-serving finance minister in TT.

"I thank him. I thank him for his service. He has done a good job. He provided a lot of stability.

"Our economy is a stable platform right now, but at this stage – based on some things that I intend to do in the not-too-distant future – I needed him in a different portfolio."

He said Dhanpaul, as the ministry's former PS, could now literally hit the ground running.

"I think the timing is right." He said all the changes in Cabinet were "very carefully thought-out" and would lead to certain movements occurring.

Young denied the change in finance minister was due to Imbert's imbroglio with Auditor General Jaiwantie Ramdass, saying that matter was already addressed.

"There is no missing money, despite what certain people want to keep trying with that narrative."

He said changes in Cabinet were "not abnormal". He added that with PNM governments, one did not see shifts in portfolios every Monday morning, unlike other governments.

Young said this has been an opportunity for him to look at Cabinet strategically, knowing what he wants in the future, including realigning certain portfolios and ministers.

Denying anyone got demoted but were still a part of the government, he said, "In previous cabinets, I think I was one of the most reshuffled ministers in the last ten years."

He flatly denied UNC charges of election gimmickry in changing the Cabinet.

"I am not known for that whatsoever. Certainly, I make very strategic decisions, and the answer is no. It is not that whatsoever.

"We have an opportunity now to turn, and we are going into a new chapter and these changes are the first signalling of that new chapter."

Regarding crime and the economy, he said, "It is always good to give a fresh perspective and allow some fresh people to take a look at it and to drive it now."

He said Leonce will join Cabinet as housing minister. "He has been there quite a while (as junior minister). He has learnt the ropes, and I think he is quite capable of taking the portfolio."

Asked Hinds' role, Young said the OPM was the nucleus of government. "That portfolio is similar to what I did previously, but it is going to be different according to what assignment the PM gives you." He said such posts exist in Jamaica, to be deployed on specific missions.

Asked about the general election date, he said nothing was ruled out. "Whenever the election date is called, we are ready for the election."

Young said he missed the late Lisa Morris-Julian tremendously but did not think it necessary to add anyone to replace her as minister in the Ministry of Education at this stage.

He said Bacchus had joined the Finance Ministry to try to push digital transformation there.

Young paid tribute to Rowley for doing "a stellar job", creating a magnificent platform on which to build, while noting he and his predecessor were separate individuals.

He said he has already had talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Amery Browne on the UK's recent imposition of a visa requirement on TT nationals.

Young mentioned talks held with the UK Foreign Office that day.

"It is something we are going to take very seriously. But at the end of the day, the UK is their sovereign state. They are the ones who are going to determine what they put on or off it and how they determine who is to have a visa or not.

"We don't agree with it. We think it is a policy that is not justified in the circumstances.

"We will continue to have respectful dialogue with them. We will continue to have a lot of conversations with them, and I am going to put whatever pressures I can to ask them to take a closer look at it. We will also offer to put certain things in place to mitigate their concerns."

Asked about a possible US government threat to withdraw US visas for any country's leaders hiring Cuban medics, Young said TT was engaged in talks with US officials.

"The information provided to me was that was a release. There was certain language used with respect to Cuban medical professionals, etcetera.

"It is very possible that is not directed at us in the Caricom region.

"But yes. As I said yesterday very clearly, I will fight for TT and I will continue to do so.

"I will protect TT's sovereignty, but I don't think it will end up in the state you have just proposed.

"We are going to continue to work with them. But the signals we are getting is that they are not going to go that far with the Caricom."