BARBADOS | PM Mottley names Cabinet, Senators to include 18 year old

BRIDGETOWN Barbados, January 24, 2022 - Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has for the first time named to her Cabinet someone to the post of  Deputy Prime Minister, and three other senior ministerial positions. She has also proposed to nominate an 18 year old to the Senate.

In her first official address to the nation from Ilaro Court following her victory at the polls on January 19, Prime Minister Mottley referred to the new Cabinet as smaller than the last two, and stressed: “It will also at the same time, however, have greater supervisory oversight and capacity to ensure that the Government’s policies and programmes are fully operationalised. We face simply too many critical challenges for us to continue with business as usual.”

Santia Bradshaw was named as the Deputy Prime Minister. According to Ms. Mottley, as a senior person, Ms. Bradshaw would have responsibility for infrastructure and would also be Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources and Leader of Government Business.

In announcing the new Cabinet, Prime Minister Mottley said: “The Government that I lead is determined that Barbados will be viewed as one of the world’s top countries, a place of energy and enlightenment and opportunity. It is our intention that Barbadians should continue to hone and draw on the finest of our values and our traditions as a people so that in every place and in every regard, Barbadians would be viewed as exceptional, as people who stand on principle and hold within our bosoms an empathy for the human person and human condition and the passion to improve that condition.”

Prime Minister Mottley also named 11 Senators, and signalled her intention to ask Cabinet and Parliament to bring a constitutional amendment to allow an 18-year-old to serve for the first time.

In addition, she also indicated Government’s intention to reach out to the Opposition parties to appoint Senators in the Upper House. She made these revelations this evening during a televised addressed to the nation this evening.

“It is, in my view, an anomaly that a person who is 18 years old in Barbados has the right to vote, but they do not have the capacity to serve in the Senate of our nation….

“I propose should it be accepted, and successful, that Khaleel Kothdiwala should be that person to serve as a Senator.  I have said from the very beginning if you are old enough to vote, then you must be old enough to serve. I look forward to the support of all across civil society for this fundamental change,” Ms. Mottley outlined.      

The Prime Minister added that it was Government’s intention to engage in discussions with the Opposition parties which did not secure any seats to determine how best to participate in the appointment of two Opposition senators, which was provided for under the Constitution. 

She said she was awaiting a legal opinion from Attorney General Dale Marshall before those formal discussions could begin.

During her address, she named 11 Senators to sit in the Senate. They are: President of the Senate, the Honourable Reginald Farley; Deputy President, the Honourable H. Elizabeth Thompson; Senator Lisa Cummins, who will also lead Government business in the Senate; Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott; Senator Dr. Shantal Munroe-Knight; Senator Dr. Crystal Haynes; Senator John King: Senator Patricia Parris; Senator Shanika Roberts-Odle; Senator Lorenzo Harewood and Senator Andwele Boyce.

Meanwhile, President Dame Sandra Mason is also expected to make her announcement with respect to independent senators.

The list of ministers and their portfolios are as follows:

• Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley – Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, with responsibility also for Culture, Security, Public Service, CARICOM and the Development Commissions.
• Deputy Prime Minister Santia Bradshaw – Coordinating responsibility as a senior person for Infrastructure; Minister of Transport, Works and Water Resources, and Leader of Government Business
• Dale Marshall – Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, and Senior Minister coordinating for Governance in Cabinet
• Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senior Minister coordinating for all Social and Environmental Policy
• Kerrie Symmonds – Minister of Energy and Business Development, Senior Minister coordinating the Productive Sectors
• Wilfred Abrahams – Minister of Home Affairs and Information
• Indar Weir – Minister of Agriculture and Food and Nutritional Security
• Ian Gooding-Edghill – Minister of Health and Wellness
• Senator Lisa Cummins – Minister of Tourism and International Transport, and Leader of Government Business in the Senate
• Kay McConney – Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training
• Dwight Sutherland – Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance
• Kirk Humphrey – Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs
• Adrian Forde – Minister of Environment and National Beautification
• Colin Jordan – Minister of Labour, Social Security and Third Sector
• Davidson Ishmael – Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology
• Charles Griffith – Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment
• Ryan Straughn – Minister in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs
• Senator Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight – Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister
• Dr. Sonia Browne – Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness with responsibility for the Queen Elizabeth Hospital & Non Communicable Diseases
• Sandra Husbands – Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Ministry of Business Development
• Dr. Romel Springer – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Water Resources, with responsibility for Water Resources
• Corey Lane – Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs