Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar yesterday questioned why the Attorney General and the Ministers of Health, Education and National Security were not changed in yesterday’s reshuffle.
“They have been colossal failures in their respective portfolios and have yet escaped being removed. A cloud remains over the head of Attorney General (Faris) Al-Rawi for his handling of the Malcolm Jones and other fiascos,” Persad-Bissessar said in a release.
“This is a classic case of reshuffling bush cards. It is now apparent that Dr Rowley does not have a team of competent, knowledgeable and experienced professionals from whom to select Cabinet Ministers. Suitably qualified professionals clearly do not want to be a part of the failing Rowley regime,” she added.
“The country has previously seen Franklin Khan at work and has not been impressed by his performance. His promotion to the critical Ministry of Energy and Energy Affairs does not provide any comfort of visionary leadership to improve the activities in this vital sector,” Persad-Bissessar said.
“The removal of Fitzgerald Hinds as Minister of Works was anticipated in light of the absence of any infrastructural works in the first 13 months of the Rowley regime. His replacement, Rohan Sinanan, has been handed a major ministerial plum without any proper experience in public service,” she said.
During a live telephone interview during the CNC3’s newscast, anchor Golda Lee-Bruce asked Persad-Bissessar about criticisms that would seem to make her statement hypocritical because when she was in government she reshuffled her Cabinet about nine times.
Persad-Bissessar responded saying: “I did reshuffle several times and every single time it was Dr Rowley who bashed the party for the changes that were made. I saw it as a Government issue at that time but given that Dr Rowley is in charge he has all the answers. He has failed miserably in bringing the changes promised on the campaign platform.”