Expect some surprises in the Cabinet of the People's Partnership (PP) Government which will be sworn in at 10 am tomorrow, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar said yesterday. The first member of the Cabinet, incoming Attorney General Anand Ramlogan, was sworn in yesterday after Persad-Bissessar took the oath of office. Speaking at a Crowne Plaza function last night, Persad-Bissessar said the COP's Anil Roberts would be Sports Minister. UNC officials also tipped former top military officer John Sandy to be the National Security Minister.
Speaking to the media earlier after being sworn in, Persad-Bissessar said Ramlogan was chosen since he had experience in public, administrative and constitutional law. She also said there would be less conflict of interest if the Attorney General was not a politician and came in as an appointed person through the Senate. Persad-Bissessar also confirmed that the new Government would be looking for corrupt officials. She noted that one of the PP's campaign promises was that the Government would go after corrupt officials. She said it was not a witch-hunt but the PP had made it clear that those who have done the crime would do the time.
"We will try to keep that promise of ours," Persad-Bissessar added. On the possible appointment of defeated candidates to ministerial posts, Persad-Bissesar said she was not of the view that persons who lost an election should be given a forefront posting in ministries. She said there would be places for them and they would have a role to play but not in frontline ministerial postings. Persad-Bissessar said the Parliament may be convened possibly the week after next week. She would be liaising with Parliament staff on the situation soon. She also projected presenting anti-corruption commission legislation and a procurement bill–promised by the last administration–to Parliament.
Persad-Bissessar admitted there would be challenges in terms of expectations. "But I will do everything I can to honour the pledges and promises we made. I will keep the oversight for this in the Office of the Prime Minister to ensure we keep our promises to the people," she said. She said the PP Government also intended to partner with Caricom states and would be building partnerships internationally as well as regionally. She said the Caribbean Court of Justice was an area of concern that required a referendum in T&T. However, the PP Government would support the Caricom Single Market and Economy, she added.
Persad-Bissessar said she would have discussions with President George Maxwell Richards on having him occupy the Prime Minister's official residence at St Ann's while the President's House was repaired. "We're willing to open the residence to him should he so desire," she added. Persad-Bissessar said she may not commute every day from her Siparia home. She also said she may be keeping the post-Cabinet media briefings the PNM had initiated since she said communication was very important to the PP Government.