PM Says Chebat Was Surprised, but All is Well Following Cabinet Shuffle

It has been one week since Prime Minister John Briceño announced a Cabinet reshuffle, when he placed Minister Kevin Bernard as the new Minister of Health and moved Minister Michel Chebat over to take on Public Utilities and Logistics. Rodwell Ferguson now assumes Sports from Bernard. The Prime Minister told News Five there is no bad blood since the reassignments, and he doesn’t expect any.

John Briceño

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I spoke with all three Ministers and I consulted with the D.P.M., the Chairman of the party, and other persons before I made that decision.  Minister Chebat, whilst he was surprised – he did not expect such change – he accepted it graciously and probably felt at the end of the day, maybe it’s best that we put new leadership in that Ministry. And actually, both he and the present Minister of Health are working very closely together. Minister Chebat has been advising him and showing him the way, answering whatever questions he may ask from him. So definitely, there’s absolutely no bad blood between these two persons and it wasn’t them that made the decision. I made the decision as Prime Minister of the country. Minister Chebat, I think did an awesome job. He came in at a time when it was a Ministry in total chaos, total shambles. Nothing was in place, left by the former Minister who was there for thirteen years. Also, he took it over when the pandemic was at its worst and the Ministry had absolutely no plan and so he took that on and rolled up his sleeves and worked hard day in, day out. Could he have done certain things better? Of course! We could always look back, as we say, looking back you have twenty-twenty vision. But I want to again, put on record, my appreciation for the tremendous work that Michel Chebat did during this very, very difficult time.”