Reshuffle coming for Permanent Secretaries

Senior cabinet minister Dr Suruj Rambachan and Jack Warner have both confirmed that the People's Partnership government has discussed the idea of reshuffling several permanent secretaries in the various ministries ensure greater efficiency in running government affairs.

Newsday reported earlier this week that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar was unhappy with the state of affairs and was ready to make some immediate changes following complaints from many ministers that some permanent secretaries have not been cooperating with their respective ministers while others remained aligned to the former PNM administration.

Warner said Thursday a reshuffle is a good idea, especially given the Prime Minister's focus in 2011 on delivery.

“If we have to deliver, we have to get more efficient. We have done a tremendous amount of work, those people who have to help us deliver, they are all efficient, but some are more efficient than others,” he said.

Rambachan said the decision about the permanent secretaries was taken at the end of a two-day special parliamentary caucus of the Government at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s, but did not give any additional information.

“The Prime Minister has responsibility for permanent secretaries, and that is a question one should probably direct at the Prime Minister,” he said when reporters asked for additional information.