Cabinet reshuffle not ruled out -- Dr Luncheon
by Gitanjali Singh
The government is expected to decide shortly on persons to hold the portfolios of finance and possibly trade and a Cabinet reshuffle has not been ruled out under new President Bharrat Jagdeo. "I know that it has been raised so often that it is unlikely it would be dismissed arbitrarily by the President. Everybody talks about it," Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, said on Friday. While neither Cabinet nor the PPP have discussed the issue, Dr Luncheon noted that this did not mean it was without merit at this point in time. He observed that the topic had not escaped the media's attention. "...The records would also show that I have also had some reservations about how particular ministers at particular points in time have discharged their mandates. And because the thing [issue of a cabinet reshuffle] is so current, you can't dismiss it out of hand," Dr Luncheon said. Reports are that Jagdeo, prior to his accession to the presidency was not very keen on the performances of some ministers and given the pressures that he would undoubtedly face on the management of the economy as elections drew nearer, tough decisions would have to be taken. It is anticipated that at least four ministries may see some drastic changes while fresh faces are expected to visit those of finance and trade. The President currently holds the portfolios for finance and trade and would do so until these posts are filled. Names so far mooted to fill the position as minister of finance include Dr Havelock Brewster, Dr Gobind Ganga and Deochand Narain and for trade, the name Geoff DaSilva has been mentioned. DaSilva currently executes some of the functions of the minister of trade. On the other hand, Brewster in 1995 turned down the position of minister of finance when he was asked by the late president, Cheddi Jagan. However, Dr Luncheon indicated on Friday that no one had yet been canvassed to fill the two ministerial posts. However, he said that this did not mean that individual ministers might not have been talking about whom they felt were good candidates. "It [filling those posts] will be done soon," Dr Luncheon said. And claiming that he only had a personal perspective on who might be possible candidates for finance minister, he ruled out Brewster but not Dr Ganga and Narain, the latter of whom is the current Director of the Guyana Office for Investment (Go-Invest). Dr Luncheon said, however, that what would happen was that Cabinet and the Executive Council of the PPP would come together and put up the names of possible candidates for discussion and then a decision would be taken. President Jagdeo might be in a better position to enlighten the media in the coming week when he holds his first media briefing. Dr Luncheon indicated that the Jagdeo-led administration had adopted the suggestion that the President host monthly press briefings. (The suggestion was made by former Foreign Affairs Minister Rashleigh Jackson, in a letter to Stabroek News). Meanwhile, the government is awaiting a specialist's assessment of the condition of Trade Minister Michael Shree Chan, before a decision is taken on his portfolio. Chan is currently in the US where a tumour was recently removed from his brain.
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