Prime Minister Mia Mottley will be taking on responsibility for the Ministry of Health over the next four to five days until she appoints her new Cabinet next Monday.
And although keeping the portfolio allocations close to her chest, she hinted that changes could be on the cards for her office, as she insisted that innovation would be at the centre of how her government will operate going forward.
She made the announcement on Thursday morning, shortly after taking the new oath of office during a brief swearing-in ceremony led by President The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, just hours after her Barbados Labour Party (BLP) took a second consecutive 30-nil victory at the polls.
Mottley said the engagement with constituents during the course of the short campaign leading up to Wednesday’s polls, allowed for reflection on what must be done to lift the country out of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“We really want to get back to a point where persons can regain control over their movements and lives. We have done well as a nation but we are still not out of the woods,” she said.
“Over the course of the next few days, until the Cabinet is appointed, I will have to take responsibility for the Ministry of Health because that work with COVID is a daily exercise, but I look forward to announcing the Cabinet on Monday and therefore being able to ensure that once sworn in, we will start business and the affairs of this country.”
Former Health Minister Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Bostic did not contest the elections and had his last day on the job a day before the polls.
Mottley said Santia Bradshaw will be reappointed as Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly.
She was reticent about who she had in mind for any of the ministerial portfolios, or if the ministries would remain the same as they were during her previous administration.
“I am going to sleep on all of that this weekend… In life, I have learnt that you don’t do things in extreme happiness or extreme anger, and that what is required is reflection and a little rest. Over the course of this weekend, therefore, we will fine-tune the details of the government,” the Prime Minister assured.
However, she did indicate there would be some changes, including in the Office of the Prime Minister.
“We are clear that we have to be transformational and, therefore, I do expect to have to make some changes to the structure of how government works. I have already spoken on the campaign trail about the fact that we need the People’s Assemblies to be more responsive to the people of the nation, especially in the delivery of services, and I believe that the Office of the Prime Minister has become more and more . . . that place where all complaints ultimately come for all aspects of things, public and private. So, we are giving serious thought to how best to structure that and may make some innovations in there,” Mottley said.
The BLP leader said her administration was buoyed by Wednesday’s victory at the polls, adding that “we are humbled by the confidence, but I must tell you that it places a tremendous burden [on us]”, as she acknowledged the absence of an official opposition.
“I have given the commitment – I gave on May 27, 2018, and I give it again now – that I have to be the government’s chief opposition when necessary because the one thing I know is that I must not in any way breach the oath of office that I just took and that the people of this country must always know that the fairness which they value, the accountability which they need, and the transparency which is required will always be part and parcel of the functioning of this government,” Mottley promised.
She recalled that one of the first laws she agreed to implement was legislation to remove from the Office of the Prime Minister the absolute right for the appointment of a Chief Justice and judges of the Supreme Court.
“We have established an advisory committee that properly interviews persons now for this critical branch of our government. We also, as you most recently would have realised, removed from the Prime Minister’s Office as well, the absolute right for the appointment of the Head of State . . . . So, I think you get the idea of where I am going always in terms of deepening our democracy,” added Prime Minister Mottley.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb
