Prime Minister Skeritt announces changes to his cabinet

     In a highly anticipated reshuffle, Prime Minister Hon. Roosevelt Skeritt today announced a number of changes to the composition of his Cabinet of Ministers. Skeritt informed the nation during a live statement at about 1 pm that he had advised His Excellency the President Dr. Oliver J.O Liverpool of the changes which would become effective from Monday 22nd October 2007.

     Without offering a detailed justification for the shake-up, Prime Minister Skeritt said he found it necessary “to re-examine the current composition of the Cabinet and the allocation of portfolios to Ministers to see how best we can maximize their skills, experience and other expertise.”

Come Monday, the new Cabinet of the Commonwealth of Dominica shall consist of the following Ministers:

• Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit:Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Social Security and Foreign Affairs
• Honourable Ambrose George: Minister for Public Works and Infrastructural Development
• Honourable Reginald Austrie: Minister for Housing, Lands and Telecommunications
• Honourable Matthew Walter: Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
• Honourable Ian Douglas: Minister for Tourism, Legal Affairs and Civil Aviation
• Honourable Vince Henderson: Minister for Education, Human Resource Development, Youth Affairs and Sports
• Honourable John Fabien: Minister for Health and Environment
• Honourable Julius Timothy: Minister for Economic Development and Urban Renewal Senator
• Senator Honourable Charles Savarin: Minister for Public Utilities, Energy, Ports and the Public Service
• Honourable Kelly Graneau: Minister for Carib Affairs Senator
• Honourable Dr. Colin McIntyre: Minister for Trade, Industry, Consumer Affairs, Private Sector Relations, CARICOM, OECS and Diaspora Affairs
• Honourable Rayburn Blackmoore: Minister for National Security, Immigration and Labour
• Honourable Loreen Bannis-Roberts: Minister for Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs and Information
• Honourable Francine Baron –Royer: Attorney General

     The Prime Minister also named the following parliamentary secretaries to be part of the Cabinet of Dominica.

• Honourable Urban Baron: Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works and Infrastructural Development
• Senator Honourable Petter Saint Jean: Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister
• Honorable Ian Pinard: Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education, Human Resource Development, Youth Affairs and Sports.

     Francine Baron and Ian Pinard are the newest additions to the Roosevelt Skeritt administration thus swelling the ranks of the Cabinet to seventeen making it the largest ever in Dominica’s history. There were however few surprises or casualties. Loreen Bannis-Roberts, considered by many as the natural successor to outgoing Tourism Minister Yvor Nassief was moved to Community Development, Culture, Gender Affairs and Information. Walters was reassigned to Agriculture. Minister Savarin was divested of his Foreign Affairs, Trade and Labour portfolio and reassigned to Public Utilities, Energy, Ports and the Public Service. And although it was long anticipated that Ian Douglas would be stripped of his Attorney General position, his reassignment to Tourism, Legal Affairs and Civil Aviation was somewhat surprising.