The makings of a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Cabinet

Published in the Jamaica Gleaner: Friday | August 31, 2007

The night of Monday, September 3 will bring an end to all speculations as to which of the two major political parties will receive the nod from the electorate and proceed to name a Cabinet to run the affairs of the country.

If the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) forms the next administration, its leader, Bruce Golding, has the task of naming a Cabinet, which will comprise a mixture of experience and a number of persons with no previous background in government.

Under a JLP administration, Mr. Golding will take charge of defence and possibly play a central role in developmental affairs. Former health minister under the Edward Seaga administration of the 1980s, Dr. Ken Baugh will be re-assigned that portfolio in the JLP Cabinet.

The portfolio of finance and public service would go to Audley Shaw; Karl Samuda has foreign affairs and foreign trade; Delroy Chuck will be appointed Minister of Justice, while Dorothy Lightbourne should preside over legal affairs.

Responsibilities

Derrick Smith takes on the country's number-one problem of crime and violence as minister of national security; Edmund Bartlett will be assigned tourism; housing and inner city renewal will go to Dr. Horace Chang, while Andrew Holness will be appointed Education and Sports Minister.

Veteran politician, Pearnel Charles, will have responsibility for transport, works and disaster preparedness; Dr. Christopher Tufton may be appointed information, agriculture and environment minister; Clive Mullings will take on mining, energy and telecommunications, while Shirley Williams will be given the job to steer industry, commerce and investment promotion.

Four persons in the proposed JLP Cabinet served in the Seaga administration of the 1980s. They include Golding, Charles, Dr. Baugh and Dr. Bartlett. Mr. Samuda, who ran on the People's National Party ticket in the 1997 General Election was appointed a state minister by former Prime Minister P.J. Patterson.