Cabinet Shuffles for Third Time in a Year

In addition to the Attorney General’s resignation and the appointment of her successor, the most important piece of news coming out of the press conference was the Prime Minister’s assumption of the Ministry of Natural Resources.  While he will not oversee the daily functions of the Lands Department, PM Barrow has taken on the second largest portfolio, the very same hotbed of corruption which he so described several years ago.  Minister of State Doctor Carla Barnett will assume management of the day-to-day running of the Lands Department which is seeing a third cabinet minister assigned to that responsibility in one year.  Here’s the Prime Minister’s announcement.

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“As from the first of January 2017, the Honorable Michael Peyrefitte will become the new Attorney General of Belize.  Now the AG also demits office, also is giving up her position as a senator, so the Honorable Peyrefitte will replace her as well in the Senate of the National Assembly of Belize.  With respect to the lands ministry, that will be placed under your humble servant.  That will now be joined with the Ministry of Finance.  So I will be the new Minister of Lands or Minister of Natural Resources.  Doctor Barnett, who is already the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, will, of course, be the Minister of State in the expanded ministry and, quite frankly, it is Doctor Barnett who will have day-to-day charge of the Lands Ministry.  So as not have me end up with a top heavy portfolio and encourage the unkind remarks that a number of you that I can think of would make as a result… The police ministry will now go across to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and again with the same arrangement under which the Honorable Elodio Aragon as the Minister of State will have the de facto leadership of that ministry.  He will be in charge of the ministry on a day-to-day basis.  I see that already the speculation was rife, was rampant and it strikes me that most of what I have just said people had already cottoned on to.”