St Lucia: New cabinet assigned, Pierre keeps finance ministry, Hilaire gets tourism

After a massive victory on July 26 general elections, the St Lucia Labour Party-led government assigned the cabinet to its ministers on Thursday. Prime Minister and Party leader Philip J. Pierre kept the ministerial portfolio of finance, economic development and the youth economy. Deputy political leader of SLP, Ernest Hilaire, has been assigned the Ministry for Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information.

People had been keenly anticipating to see who their new health minister is going to be due to the ongoing pandemic. Moses Jn. Baptiste is now the new Minister for Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs.

To uplift the education sector of St Lucia, Shawn A. Edward has been assigned the Ministery for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training Ministry for External Affairs, International Trade, Civil Aviation and Diaspora Affairs is given to Alva Romanus Baptiste. Former Prime Minister Stephenson King is appointed as the Senior Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development and Urban Renewal Parliament Representative from Sourfriere/ Fond St Jacques is the new Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs. Ministry for Equity, Social Justice and People’s Empowerment is given to Joachim Andre Henry, Ministry for Youth Development and Sports to Kenson Joel Casimir, Ministry for the Public Service, Home Affairs, Labour and Gender Affairs to Dr Virginia Albert-Poyotte. Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development is assigned to Alfred Prospere. Besides this, Wayne D. Girard is appointed as the Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Youth Economic. Similarly, Richard Frederick is now the Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Housing and Local Government. Other appointments include the parliamentary secretaries  where Dr Pauline Antoine-Prospere is appointed as a parliamentary secretary to Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology and Vocational Training and  Guibion Ferdinand – Parliamentary Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Investment, Creative Industries, Culture and Information. On July 26, the St Lucia Labour Party received a massive support from the public and got a total of 13 parliamentary seats accompanied by two SLP orientated independent candidates, Stephenson King and Richard Frederick. The United Workers Party received mere 2 seats.