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My fantasy Cabinet
Published: Wednesday | January 11, 2012 Comments 0
PM and Minister of Defence/Sports:Portia Simpson Miller
Information and Community Welfare: Lisa Hanna
Energy and Environment: Anthony Hylton
Education and Science: Ronnie Thwaites
Deputy PM & Minister of Nat'l Security: Peter Phillips
Business and Industry: Senator Peter Moses(private sector)
Health: Fenton Ferguson
Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry: Dr Morais Guy
Transport and Infrastructure: Horace Dalley
Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade: Senator Delano Franklyn
Youth Affairs/ Sports: Julian Robinson
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By Dennie Quill, Columnist
When Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller sat down to consider her Cabinet choices, she was blessed with an array of talent. The prime minister also has the power to appoint ministers without portfolio, as well as ministers of state. Uppermost in her mind would have been the urgent need to address the critical challenges facing the country, such as the economy, unemployment and crime.
Mrs Simpson Miller knew that she needed a stellar team by her side that would be capable of hitting the ground running to work to fulfil the promises to turn around the economy and stimulate growth. While every parliamentarian cherishes the hope of some day having a seat at the Cabinet table, not everyone gets that opportunity. Mrs Simpson Miller has 15 portfolio ministers, four ministers without portfolio and eight ministers of state.
So did she do a good job? An RJR online poll which asked whether the prime minister made the right choices indicated that 81 per cent of persons believed she did great, while 19 per cent did not agree with her appointments.
Of the 26 respondents, 21 said the choices were right, while five expressed dissatisfaction with the choices.
Those who have been calling for a lean Cabinet would have heard the then opposition leader criticise the Jamaica Labour Party administration for its bloated Cabinet of 19 and would surely be disappointed in this 20-member Cabinet.
Many have expressed surprise that first-time MPs like Arnaldo Brown and Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams had moved from political obscurity to the front line of Government. The criticism is not as harsh for those who had garnered national attention, such as Damion Crawford and Julian Robinson, who are also beginning their parliamentary careers as ministers of state.
There is nothing wrong with fresh faces, as long as they possess the competence, dynamism and energy to deliver the requisite service to their country. Obviously, Mrs Simpson Miller has had an opportunity to see these young people up close. Some supporters of the Government have said: Critics be damned, the voters have given us a mandate and we are going to govern the way we see fit.
Biggest challenge
Aware that the country's biggest challenge is to tackle the state of our public finances and design a rescue plan, I have created my own Cabinet. In making my choices, I have a free hand and I am not influenced by loyalty, I need not reward anyone for support; all I need to consider is expertise, past record and background, and there is that something called a hunch which all leaders possess.
My Cabinet would have strong public-sector input to inject the fiscal discipline required to run any successful business. And, of course, there are fresh faces in my Cabinet.
Other appointments which I would make are president of the Senate, A.J. Nicholson, and speaker of the House, Robert Pickersgill. I am listening for reactions to my choices.
Tourism/Heritage/Culture: Wykeham McNeill
Finance: Peter Bunting
Justice and Empowerment: Senator Mark Golding
Employment and Skills Development: Fitz Jackson
Labour and Social Security: Derrick Kellier
PM and Minister of Defence/Sports: Portia Simpson Miller
Information and Community Welfare: Lisa Hanna
Energy and Environment: Anthony Hylton
Education and Science: Ronnie Thwaites
Deputy PM & Minister of Nat'l Security: Peter Phillips
Business and Industry: Senator Peter Moses(private sector)
Health: Fenton Ferguson
Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry: Dr Morais Guy
Transport and Infrastructure: Horace Dalley
Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade: Senator Delano Franklyn
Youth Affairs/ Sports: Julian Robinson
Dennie Quill is a veteran media practitioner. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and denniequill@hotmail.com.
Published: Wednesday | January 11, 2012 Comments 0
PM and Minister of Defence/Sports:Portia Simpson Miller
Information and Community Welfare: Lisa Hanna
Energy and Environment: Anthony Hylton
Education and Science: Ronnie Thwaites
Deputy PM & Minister of Nat'l Security: Peter Phillips
Business and Industry: Senator Peter Moses(private sector)
Health: Fenton Ferguson
Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry: Dr Morais Guy
Transport and Infrastructure: Horace Dalley
Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade: Senator Delano Franklyn
Youth Affairs/ Sports: Julian Robinson
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 >
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By Dennie Quill, Columnist
When Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller sat down to consider her Cabinet choices, she was blessed with an array of talent. The prime minister also has the power to appoint ministers without portfolio, as well as ministers of state. Uppermost in her mind would have been the urgent need to address the critical challenges facing the country, such as the economy, unemployment and crime.
Mrs Simpson Miller knew that she needed a stellar team by her side that would be capable of hitting the ground running to work to fulfil the promises to turn around the economy and stimulate growth. While every parliamentarian cherishes the hope of some day having a seat at the Cabinet table, not everyone gets that opportunity. Mrs Simpson Miller has 15 portfolio ministers, four ministers without portfolio and eight ministers of state.
So did she do a good job? An RJR online poll which asked whether the prime minister made the right choices indicated that 81 per cent of persons believed she did great, while 19 per cent did not agree with her appointments.
Of the 26 respondents, 21 said the choices were right, while five expressed dissatisfaction with the choices.
Those who have been calling for a lean Cabinet would have heard the then opposition leader criticise the Jamaica Labour Party administration for its bloated Cabinet of 19 and would surely be disappointed in this 20-member Cabinet.
Many have expressed surprise that first-time MPs like Arnaldo Brown and Sharon Ffolkes-Abrahams had moved from political obscurity to the front line of Government. The criticism is not as harsh for those who had garnered national attention, such as Damion Crawford and Julian Robinson, who are also beginning their parliamentary careers as ministers of state.
There is nothing wrong with fresh faces, as long as they possess the competence, dynamism and energy to deliver the requisite service to their country. Obviously, Mrs Simpson Miller has had an opportunity to see these young people up close. Some supporters of the Government have said: Critics be damned, the voters have given us a mandate and we are going to govern the way we see fit.
Biggest challenge
Aware that the country's biggest challenge is to tackle the state of our public finances and design a rescue plan, I have created my own Cabinet. In making my choices, I have a free hand and I am not influenced by loyalty, I need not reward anyone for support; all I need to consider is expertise, past record and background, and there is that something called a hunch which all leaders possess.
My Cabinet would have strong public-sector input to inject the fiscal discipline required to run any successful business. And, of course, there are fresh faces in my Cabinet.
Other appointments which I would make are president of the Senate, A.J. Nicholson, and speaker of the House, Robert Pickersgill. I am listening for reactions to my choices.
Tourism/Heritage/Culture: Wykeham McNeill
Finance: Peter Bunting
Justice and Empowerment: Senator Mark Golding
Employment and Skills Development: Fitz Jackson
Labour and Social Security: Derrick Kellier
PM and Minister of Defence/Sports: Portia Simpson Miller
Information and Community Welfare: Lisa Hanna
Energy and Environment: Anthony Hylton
Education and Science: Ronnie Thwaites
Deputy PM & Minister of Nat'l Security: Peter Phillips
Business and Industry: Senator Peter Moses(private sector)
Health: Fenton Ferguson
Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry: Dr Morais Guy
Transport and Infrastructure: Horace Dalley
Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade: Senator Delano Franklyn
Youth Affairs/ Sports: Julian Robinson
Dennie Quill is a veteran media practitioner. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and denniequill@hotmail.com.