(Trinidad Express) Gary Griffith has been appointed National Security Minister, becoming the fourth person to hold the critical post, since the Peoples Partnership took power three years ago.
The announcement was made today by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar when she addressed a post-Cabinet press briefing held at the Office of the Prime Minister, St Clair, Port of Spain.
Former National Security Minister Emmanuel George is now the Minister of Justice, replacing Christlyn Moore.
THESE ARE THE CHANGES –
– The Senatorial appointments of Christlyn Moore and Jamal Mohammed have been revoked, along with the appointment of Lyndira Oudit.
– Gerald Hadeed has been appointed Communications Minister.
– Raziah Ahmed has been appointed a Minister in the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Child Development.
– Emanuel George has been appointed Justice Minister.
– The Housing Ministry has been split.
– The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development will be headed by Roodal Moonilal.
– The Ministry of Land and Marine Resources will be headed by Jairam Seemungal.
– The Ministry of Local Government and Works has been split.
– The Ministry of Local Government will be headed by Marlene Coudray.
– The Ministry of Works will be headed by Suruj Rambachan.
– Chandresh Sharma has been transferred from the Transport Ministry and is the new Minister of Tourism.
– Stephen Cadiz has been moved from Tourism and is the new Minister of Transport.
-Clifton De Coteau has been moved from the Ministry of National Diversity and Integration, and now heads the Ministry of Gender Affairs.
– Roger Samuel has been appointed the Minister of National Diversity and Integration.
Griffith has held the position of advisor on national security matters to the Prime Minister, since May 2010.
In July, the Express reported that Griffith, a retired captain in the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, had resigned as a member of the United National Congress, because he was disenchanted with the party and its “missteps” and “sycophants”.
Griffith, who was the Comptroller and Attache to former prime minister Basdeo Panday from 2000 to 2002, entered politics in 2005 when he joined the Progressives slate of the UNC, led by former National Security Minister Jack Warner, which contested against Team Patriot led by
then political leader Basdeo Panday. Panday was elected unopposed.
His wife, Nicole Dyer-Griffith, was a parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Communications, until a reshuffle saw her lose that position when a Communications Ministry was created and Jamal Mohammed appointed.
