Government sworn in amid COVID-19 pandemic
His Excellency Governor E.B. Holiday on Saturday Administered the Oath of Office to the new candidate Ministers to officially take up their position as Ministers for the next 4 years. Amid the coronavirus pandemic sweeping the world, and sparking concerns even on our Island, the official ceremony went ahead to finalize the Silveria Jacobs Cabinet of Ministers.
Candidates for the various portfolios have been vetted based on the standard regulations governing the pre-screening of candidates before nomination, (National Decree Appointment procedure candidate Ministers and candidate Minister Plenipotentiary). It was previously mentioned that UP Candidate Minister tipped for the post Minister of (VSA), Omar Otley could not be approved as he was still being examined by the OM. He was then replaced by Richard Panneflek.
The official Council of Ministers (COM) sworn in Saturday, are as follows:
- Ms. Silveria Jacobs, Prime Minister and Minister of General Affairs;
- Ms. Anna Richardson, Minister of Justice;
- Mr. Ardwell Irion, Minister of Finance;
- Mr. Rodolphe Samuel, Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports;
- Mr. Egbert Doran, Minister of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure;
- Ms. Ludmila de Weever, Minister of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication;
- Mr. Richard Panneflek, Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labour;
- Mr. Rene Violenus, Minister Plenipotentiary.
Governor E.B. Holiday in his address to both the Prime Minister and new Ministers stated, “As you assume your mandate to govern our country in these exceptional circumstances, I trust that you, in keeping with your oath, will work in solidarity, consultation and cooperation with our people, with our health sector, with our businesses and with our partners and thus overcome our challenges to safeguard the wellbeing of our people.
In that regard, there rests on you, individually as Ministers, and jointly as Council of Ministers a great responsibility. Your decisions will have lasting influences on the lives of the people of Sint Maarten. Thus, as you deliberate on taking action on the matters before you during your governing period, I wish you wisdom, individually and jointly, in the conduct of your responsibilities as you seek to meet your constitutional responsibility to the people of Sint Maarten”.
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