Usher Says Bernard “Right Man for the Job”

Kevin Bernard

As we reported at the top of the newscast, Kevin Bernard replaces former Minister of Health and Wellness Michel Chebat at the helm of public health system during today’s Cabinet Reshuffle. The change was sudden, despite many in private and public practice clamoring for action to be taken to strengthen the ministry’s response amid another wave of COVID-19 infections.  Bernard comes from a background of municipal administration and, according to his cabinet colleague Henry Charles Usher, he is suitable for the mammoth task at hand.

Henry Charles Usher

Henry Charles Usher, Chairman, People’s United Party

“I can tell you this, Minister Kevin Bernard is an excellent manager and an excellent administrator.  He displayed that as a three-term, four-term mayor of Orange Walk Town, he has displayed that in just a single year.  He has created a ministry from nothing.  The Ministry of e-Governance, he created that, he has brought it to the forefront.  He has really brought that portfolio forward and so I have every confidence that as Minister of Health he will be able to carry out the objectives of Plan Belize and the objectives of this government. The prime minister did an annual review of all the cabinet posts to look at performance, to look at effectiveness and in his judgment this is the best way forward and I fully support his judgment. We all serve as ministers at the pleasure of the prime minister, so at any point the can come and say, “Minister Usher, I want you to take over this portfolio or I want this portfolio to be removed from you.”  We serve at his pleasure and if he is going to do an annual review, and I welcome the annual review really from our leader, it shows good leadership on his part to look at all the ministries, to look at the performance of the ministers and to see how best that we can govern in accordance with Plan Belize and with our governance objectives.”