PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, Oct 31, CMC – Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley Monday fired two senior Cabinet ministers in the first major re-shuffle of his administration since the People’s National Movement (PNM) came to power in Trinidad and Tobago on September 7 last year.
Rowley, who had during the budget debate here last month, indicated that he would be making changes to his Cabinet, dismissed his Energy and Energy Industries Minister Nicole Olivierre and the Public Utilities Minister retired Brigadier General Ancil Antoine.
Olivierre has been replaced by the former Minister for Rural Development and Local Government, Franklyn Khan, who is also the PNM chairman, while Antoine has been replaced by the Works and Transport Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.
A statement from the Office of the Prime Minister noted that Rowley had advised President Anthony Carmona to appoint KazimHosein as a Senator and Minister of Rural Development and Local Government. He will replace Sarah Budhu, whose appointment as a Senator was revoked.
Prime Minister Rowley also named Rohan Sinanan, a Senator, as the Minister of Works and Transport.
The statement also announced that Stuart Young, who had been the Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney general has been re-assigned and is now the Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General and Legal Affairs and Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister.
Prior to the announcement of the Cabinet re-shuffle, former housing minister in the previous government, Dr.RoodalMoonilal, told a local radio here that the main opposition United National Congress (UNC) wanted the removal of Attorney General Faris Al Rawi and the National Security Minister, retired Brigadier General Edmund Dillon.