When Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves announced his new Cabinet on December 12, he also announced the creation of two new ministries and several other re-configured ones.

These changes and other factors have resulted in the promotion of five senior public servants to the position of Permanent Secretary in an Acting capacity, and the transfer of five other Permanent Secretaries.{{more}}

Kenwick Glynn has been promoted to Permanent Secretary (Acting) in the newly created Ministry of Housing, Informal Human Settlements, Physical Planning, Lands and Surveys. This Ministry is headed by former Minister of Transport, Works and Housing, Senator Julian Francis.

Cheryl Biddy is the new Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture (Acting). She takes over from former Permanent Secretary Pamela Browne, who is on pre-retirement leave. The new Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries is the Hon. Montgomery Daniel.

Minister of Telecommunications, Science, Technology and Industry, Dr. Jerrol Thompson will have as his Permanent Secretary, Allan Alexander. Alexander has been promoted to the post in an acting capacity. The person who held that post prior to the General Elections, Lynford James, has been assigned to a special project.

Also assigned to a special project is Rawlin Stapleton. He is the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development. That Ministry has been reconfigured into the Ministry of National Mobilization, Social Development, Gender Affairs, Non-Governmental Organizations Relations, Local Government and Persons with Disabilities. The Hon. Michael Browne is the new Minister, and the newly promoted Permanent Secretary (Acting) is Rosita Snagg.

New Minister of Tourism, Youth and Sports, the Hon. Glen Beache, will have as his Permanent Secretary, Laverne Grant. She has been promoted to this position in an acting capacity.

Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Andreas Wickham, has been transferred to the Ministry of Urban Development, Culture, Labour, Electoral Matters. He remains at the administrative helm of his former Minister’s Ministry. The Hon. Rene Baptiste is the new Minister of Urban Development, etc.

Former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of National Security, the Public Service and Electoral Matters, Godfrey Pompey, has been transferred to the Prime Minister’s Office as Permanent Secretary. He replaces Shirla Francis, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Rural Transformation, Information, the Public Service and Ecclesiastical Affairs. The Minister heading up that Ministry is the Hon. Selmon Walters.