Card Shufle or Cupid Shuffle: What the Cabinet reshuffle actually means

It is definitely not uncommon for Prime Minister to reshuffle his cabinet, but I say that two moves caught me slightly off guard. We knew that the Prime Minister had political due diligence to pay by appointing the stalwarts of the JLP ministerial ranks to respective ministries but after two years, dues have been paid and the now Andrew Holness is setting his cabinet on a growth trajectory to ensure that he secures for himself and his party a second term in office.

I have watched how Prime Minister has set his affairs in order from the very beginning. While I'm not surprised that freshly elected MP Nigel Clarke is Minister of Finance and the Public Service I think it was a little premature, personally I would not have put him there I would put him in OPM to continue the work for another year with the EGC and to set the growth agenda. But Dr. Clarke at Finance may be a welcome change and has the right optics, as former CFO of the Musson Group Dr. Clarke carries a wealth of Private Sector experience but I am weary the previous experiment with Don Webhy didn't work out so well.

As for "Man a Yaad": he just delivered a stellar budget in his unique style but doesn't get the chance to administer it. The view is that is a move to Industry Investment Commerce and Agriculture is a demotion but I think that the talents of Audley are well suited for that kind of Super Ministry. Here he gets a unique opportunity to be an old' fashioned politician once again as e appeals to the business base as well as the working class and agricultural base. He is expected to also bring some order to the Ministry just as he did with Finance. 

Notably too is the movement of the very powerful Dr. Horace Chang to the Ministry of National Security anyone who has worked with him knows that he is a get it done kind of Minister. As minister of Housing he brought some order to the Ministry and as Minister with responsibility for Economic Growth and Job Creation has already gained allies in Government to ensure that whatever he needs at Security will be done. From my sources, he is a master negotiator and is usually successful in achieving the agenda set out. There is also another reason which I won't get into details as to why he is a right fit for Security. 

As for Robert Montague, the Ministry of Transport and Mining is about to experience the Man for St. Mary's style of leadership which is the lets us get in done mentality. National Security was a challenge for him but he did reasonably well there, the assessment of the minister cannot be murder figures. In order to fix the problem of crime, it takes a holistic approach to national security which he achieved many things. 

Mike Henry and Karl Samuda moving to the Office of the Prime Minister and Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation represents a way to pool their years of experience and expertise. These men also on their way out of representational politics and the move shows more gratitude to their support than anything else. 

Fayval Williams' promotion is rather inconsequential she was doing a good job as state minister, the promotion means a seat at the actual cabinet roundtable. 

Junior Ministers

Rudyard Spencer moving to Ministry of National Security shows that administration values his experience in negotiations with former BITU president. 

Pearnel Charles Jr. moving Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is really two-fold.To help it the current minister as well as to give him an opportunity to prove himself. LeLet'soint out that he is seeking to replace his father in North Central Clarendon as MP. 

The other two are really just a catch and see to help out the current ministers, who happen to be both females and have never had a state minister. 

Alando Terrilonge- Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports.

Zavia Mayne - Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

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