The first Cabinet meeting held under the new government at the Office of the Prime Minister. Photo: Terrel W. Carey/Tribune Staff
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Chief Reporter
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis yesterday reiterated his charge that newly sworn in Cabinet ministers will not shirk their parliamentary duties as they take on their government portfolios.
Dr Minnis noted that ministers were expected to report to their various constituencies on a quarterly basis and keep tabs on the concerns of constituents as he addressed the press ahead of the first sitting of Cabinet.
When the press arrived at 8.40am, Dr Minnis was already inside and his ministers began arriving at the Office of the Prime Minister around 9am.
Dr Minnis likened last week’s landslide victory to the Free National Movement’s first government win in 1992, underscoring that at both times the country had been “rocked with corruption”.
“We won on the message ‘it’s the people’s time’ and we will adhere to that,” Dr Minnis said. “We will continue to listen to the people and we will be taking directives and working for the people.
“In 1992 when we came in we had a country to rebuild. The country was rocked with corruption. The FNM was built with transparency and accountability and we had to free this country in 1992.
“We opened the airwaves and hence you (the media) are here. In 2017 we are doing the same thing, this country is rocked with corruption from the government that we have just removed, and now again you will see transparency, accountability and the people will again have the voice just like they did in 1992.”
Fifteen cabinet ministers took the oath of office at Government House on Monday, a group that stunningly included just one woman.
Of the 12 substantive ministers and three ministers of state, Seabreeze MP Lanisha Rolle was appointed minister of social services and urban development.
The FNM won 35 of 39 seats, with four of its women candidates taking seats in Parliament for Seabreeze, West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Pakeisha Parker-Edgecombe; Fox Hill, Shonel Ferguson; and MICAL, Miriam Emmanuel.
During the FNM’s 1992 term, then Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham appointed three women to his Cabinet: Janet Bostwick, attorney general and minister of foreign affairs; Dame Ivy Dumont, minister of education and youth; and Theresa Moxey-Ingraham, minister of commerce, agriculture, and industry.
In 2002, then Prime Minister Perry Christie appointed Cynthia “Mother” Pratt as deputy prime minister and minister of national security; Melanie Griffin, minister of social services and community development; Glenys Hanna Martin, minister of transport and aviation; and Allyson Maynard-Gibson, attorney general and minister of legal affairs.
With the exception of Mrs Pratt, those women returned to the same posts in 2012.
The first woman Cabinet member Dr Doris Johnson took her oath following the Progressive Liberal Party’s 1968 snap election victory over the United Bahamian Party.
She had served as the first woman senator under then Premier Sir Lynden Pindling’s previous government.
The new Cabinet has 19 ministers, inclusive of Dr Minnis.
Comments
ThisIsOurs 7 years, 7 months ago
Dr Sands looks happy:)
bahamas12345 7 years, 7 months ago
Wheres the VAT money and how much did the country give to Bahamar?
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
never mind doc with his corruption lines. he has only to look n the glass to see corruption. Note what he claims the FNM has ever done in this Country .
DDK 7 years, 7 months ago
We got rid of Plunder Loot Pillage and we still have birdiestrachan. Democracy at its finest! You cannot dampen the feeling of celebration across our Islands.
TalRussell 7 years, 7 months ago
Comrades! You can't even be sure voters got a free bottle of rum and a $20 bank note from the red party to win over their votes....Whether they did or didn't get gifts - they still have memories of how the red politicians were accusing the PLP government of borrowing even more money - money that will have to be paid back by the citizens - not the politicians....Yet, the first act the new minister of finance, is to borrow more money to payoff an obvious vote buying attempt promise made to policeman's - by the former PLP government. This new set reds are done shaping up be financially brutal to the pockets citizens.
banker 7 years, 7 months ago
Tal, Tal, Tal ... you are disappointing. Despite your best efforts at hiding it, you are as bad a liar as Trump. Your insinuations are loathsome, untrue and come from a dark place. That goes to character. You are un-salvageable.
DreamerX 7 years, 7 months ago
The overwhelming victory of the FNM coupled with the orgasmic state of victors aggression, is a scary concept. Tal maybe not be the most palpable but the tone shift to calling any comments on FNM as lies, is a dangerous precedent. I had read several of you comments Banker. And your tone shift is only disappointment of character at present.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
The good doc knows he won the election on where the Vat money gone the people expects him to repeal VAT if you are listing to the people start with that.
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
VAT does not have to be repealed ......... but the tax system must be calibrated to make it less oppressive on the lesser third of the population ........ and for Jesus' sake, collect the other taxes that the PLP has neglected or refused to collect
DreamerX 7 years, 7 months ago
And how does one re-calibrate such a simple system designed for low financial interconnectedness such as our current state.
Emac 7 years, 7 months ago
@lkalikl-ROTFL...could you be any more mean to Tal?
On a different note though-Anyone noticed that Licks2, the great Minnis defender has disappeared from this forum like Sam Major's wife, ever since the FNM won the election. My theory is that Licks2 was Minnis himself! Lol...It would be interesting to see who is hidden behind these user names though.
Stapedius 7 years, 7 months ago
Let us give them a chance. We are all Bahamian. The PLP gives the perception that they have some monopoly on ideas or intelligence. The country must move forward and I am happy that we have a democracy which exercises its power to do just that. You can't keep towing party line and people are suffering, losing their homes, struggling with basic utilities and finding it hard to provide for their families.
Sickened 7 years, 7 months ago
Hillary Clinton's slogan - Forward Together - she lost badly. PLP's slogan - Forward Together - they lost really badly. Theresa May's slogan (U.K.) - Forward Together - she had better change her slogan quick!!!
DreamerX 7 years, 7 months ago
Hillary did not lose "badly" she lost to the tendency of more liberal voters being clustered in fewer voting districts while being more populous.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
Did you all see doc taking any pictures with the people.? the picture he took and sent to the world was with Sakris Ismarlian little things means a lot.
birdiestrachan 7 years, 7 months ago
Check out the Bahamas coat of arms. What does it say?
realfreethinker 7 years, 7 months ago
birdie before election you would come in here throw your bomb and dissapear for awhile. Now you are on a roll 4 different pst on one thread. WOW
sheeprunner12 7 years, 7 months ago
What does listening to the people mean in a constitutional democracy where the PM has dictator-like powers?????? ............ Perry said he believed in Bahamians and did the opposite ............... Time will tell what Minnis' definition of "listening" will mean (we hope he got the May 10th message loud and clear)
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