Published on 06-Dec-11

Georgetown -- Dec. 6, 2011 - Eleven new appointments have been made in a 20-member Cabinet that was set up by new President of Guyana Donald Ramotar who delivered on his promise to make the installation within 48 hours of his inauguration to the Presidency.

Georgetown - Dec. 6, 2011 - Eleven new appointments have been made in a 20-member Cabinet that was set up by new President of Guyana Donald Ramotar who delivered on his promise to make the installation within 48 hours of his inauguration to the Presidency.

The new appointments are as follows: Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment, Robert Persaud, Minister of Health Dr. Bheri Ramsaran, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, Minister of Human Services and Social Security Jennifer Webster and Minister within the Ministry of Local Government Norman Whittaker.

President Donald Ramotar addresses the newly sworn in
Cabinet members and invitees at State House after the swearing in ceremony.

Among the newcomers are Minister of Labour Dr. Nanda Gopaul, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall, Minister of Local Government Ganga Persaud, Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture Ali Baksh and, Minister within the Ministry of Finance Juan Edghill.
Those that were reassigned are: Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, Minister of Housing and Water Irfaan Ali, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr Frank Anthony, Minister of Public Works Robeson Benn, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, Minister of Finance Dr. Ashni Singh, Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford
Each took the Oath before the Head of State at an investiture ceremony held at State House today in the presence of their family and relatives, Ministry representatives, members of the private sector and civil society.
President Ramotar in his addressed to the Ministers spoke with optimism that those reassigned will continue to serve with the same level of “dedication” that they have shown previously and in their new posts.

President Donald Ramotar and newly sworn in Cabinet Members.

To the newcomers President Ramotar said, “You have a team of people experienced enough who would help you along… there will be difficulties, there will be problems but we will work to overcome them in the interest of the wellbeing of our people and in the interest of the development of Guyana.”
The President called on his new Cabinet to dedicate “waking-hours” to serving Guyanese.
President Ramotar took the Oath of Office on December 3, becoming Guyana’s seventh executive President, and making history as the first to be inaugurated under a constitution that allows a two term limitation for Heads of State.
He won the Presidency after the results of the 2011 General and Regional elections were announced by Chief Elections Officer of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) Gocool Boodhoo on December 1.
The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) secured 48.6 percent of the votes against an opposition which, when combined, secured a majority 51 percent of the seats in the National Assembly.
President Ramotar had acknowledged that the process will not be smooth but reaffirmed his commitment to work beyond the difficulties to ensure that Guyana does not regress.
“This new arrangement in our parliament will no doubt test our maturity as political leaders, it will demand that pettiness be put aside and our nation’s wellbeing should always be our most important guiding influence,” President Ramotar had noted.

The list of Cabinet Members reads as follows:

Names Of Cabinet Members	Appointment
1.Samuel Archibald Anthony Hinds	Prime Minister and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Energy
2.Mohamed Irfaan Ali	Minister of Housing & Water
3.Dr.Frank Christopher Stanislaus Anthony	Minister of Culture ,Youth & Sport
4.Alli Baksh	Minister within Ministry of Agriculture
5.Brindley Horatio Robeson Benn	Minister of Public Works
6.Carolyn Rodrigues -Birkett	Minister of Foreign Affairs
7.Juan Anthony Edghill	Minister within Ministry of Finance
8.Dr. Nanda Kissore Gopaul	Minister of Labour
9.Priya Devi Manickchand	Minister of Education
10.Mohabir Anil Nandlall	Attorney General & Minister of legal Affairs
11.Ganga Persaud	Minister of Local Government & Regional development
12.Robert Montgomery Persaud	Minister of Natural Resources & Environment
13.Dr.Leslie Satruken Ramsammy	Minister of Agriculture
14.Dr.Bheri Sygmond Ramsaran	Minister of Health
15.Clement James Rohee	Minister of Home Affiars
16.Dr.Ashni Kumar Singh	Minister of Finance
17.Pauline Campbell -Sukhai	Minister of Amerindian Affairs
18.Jennifer Ingrid Marie Webster	Minister of Human Service & Social Security
19.Dr.Jennifer Ann Westford	Minster of Public service
20.Norman Anthony Whittaker	Minister within the Ministry of Local Government & Regional Developmen