The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

PRIME Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ decision to reassign four Cabinet portfolios earlier this week may open the door to several new initiatives and policies within those respective ministries in the coming months.

Addressing the reassignments, both Frankie Campbell, now the minister of social services and urban development, and Renward Wells, now the minister of transport and local government, insisted they had no issue with the surprising move.

Particularly, Mr Wells told reporters the shuffle was to the credit of Dr Minnis, for his ability to assemble a team capable of handling such a move.

“At the end of the day, I think you would have seen that all of us, the four of us would have been moved, and we were moved very quickly,” he said in response to questions raised over the timing of the prime minister’s decision.

Mr Wells continued: “I think that speaks to the kind of management that we would have all done in our ministries, that we didn’t need to clean up anything, that we could simply just move.

“It speaks to the capacity of the ministers in the government of the Free National Movement, that we have been doing the kind of jobs the Bahamian people would have expect from us in the requisite ministries that we were given.”

Mr Wells, who also serves as leader of government business in House of Assembly, said he has accepted the move as an opportunity to further the government’s mandate of improved governance.

When asked about his plans for the Ministry of Transport and Local Government, he revealed he has scheduled a meeting with Mr Campbell, for the two to formally discuss the ins and outs of the post.

“Obviously I am going to sit down with the former minister and speak to him as to the things he would have wanted to have done in the ministry and I will seek to build on what it is he has done,” he said.

Asked of specific initiatives he would like to see made a focus at the ministry, he added: “…. There is something that was near and dear to me and it is a way to help generate revenue for the country in terms of, in Australia and other countries that have vast oceans, so to speak, they have what is called a mooring system where every boat ties up to a mooring and people pay to do that.”

Mr Wells stressed that if implemented, a nationwide mooring system could become a great source of revenue for the Bahamas.

To that end, he said he would look to set up an authoritative body to seek the development of such a project in Family Island communities, to generate the funding for their respective local government offices.

He explained: “We have a lot of boat traffic that goes through the country. We are a maritime nation. When you drop an anchor on a coral reef and you pull it up, you’re destroying the corals.”

He continued: “What countries have done is, they have established moorings and every boat has to be tied up to a mooring and at the end of the day, you charge the requisite fees and those fees then go to the Consolidated Fund or whatever venture it is the government of the Bahamas so deems.”

Mr Wells also said he would look to review cruising fees, suggesting that an increase could be coming.

For his part, Mr Campbell said he intended to serve to the best of his ability.

When asked by reporters what he viewed as his greatest success in his former post, Mr Campbell said: “I had the privilege of meeting with persons from the length and breadth of the family of islands discussing a myriad of matters from the mailboat service to local government, to the postal service, to the service that the Met Office provides, to the service the Road Traffic Department provides.”

He continued: “There have been ups, there have been downs, but I’ve gotten a sense of privilege to be able to say to persons that your concern is heard and is being addressed.

“And so, for me, to see the smile on the face of someone who got some ratification for some concern, that has been the highlight of my service thus far,” he said.

The newly assigned Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Lanisha Rolle yesterday rebuffed the media’s attempt to question her on the move.

Since coming to office in May 2017, Mrs Rolle has faced some criticism for issues she has had in the post of minister of social services and urban development.

Last December, Rights Bahamas called for her resignation after she asserted that marital rape should be viewed as a private issue.

The remark came as a shock as she is the only woman in the Cabinet and it was made at a time in when the government was facing pressure to amend laws to protect the rights of women.

Former Youth, Sports and Culture Minister, Michael Pintard could not be reached for comment yesterday. He is now minister of agriculture and marine resources.

All reassignments become official today.