Orville Taylor
Yeah! Another reality 'cheque'. I expected a small buffet or cabinet, but this is quite a breakfront. However you couch it, this is the first promise that our newly elected Prime Minister has broken. Even without appointing junior ministers and senators, Bruce Golding has a larger Cabinet than Portia Simpson Miller did. Her stint in Jamaica House was so short that you might not have noticed.
Although there are a number of unexpected features, there are few surprises. The biggest talking point is the Finance Ministry. Checks have revealed that Audley Shaw has bounced back from the clouds surrounding his personal finances to head the ministry for which he was shadow minister. Not falling from Grace, neophyte Donald Wehby, who spearheaded much of GraceKennedy's economic expansion, is now Minister Without Portfolio. Yeah, right! He will have a big job in trying to guide the country to a similar economic success. If Wehby's performance is anything like his 1970s Boys' Champs hurdling career, then Shaw will be able to write cheques to his heart's content.
Nevertheless, it is not my belief that he was sent in by the private sector that bankrolled the Jamaica Labour Party's (JLP) campaign to keep Audley sober. After all, Shaw has solid theoretical knowledge of public finance and fiscal operations. One might wonder why there are three ministers, given that Omar Davies had only one Minister of State. Perhaps he 'short'-changed himself and the ministry really needs three people.
Clearly, it is still woman time, as Dorothy Lightbourne has now been appointed as Justice Minister and Attorney-General, joining Chief Justice Zaila McCalla. Why not? Justice is portrayed as a blindfolded woman who cannot see when the scales in her hand are tipped away from her. Hmmm! Who is the Prime Minister again?
battles
Only one piece of China is in the breakfront and that is Minister of Water and Housing, Horace Chang. The other porcelain from Cathay has been 'Chucked' from his expected justice portfolio and placed in the hallowed chair of Speaker. By the way, he really can speak. It is curious though, as I am sure that the people of Grant's Pen and its environs will miss his presence and will want to know why Driva parked the Chuck.
Andrew Holness, one of the most 'mannasable' politicians, is about to get an education. Apart from the many disappointed parents who believed that 'tuition free' meant 'school free', he faces a myriad challenges, including finding the two non-existent schools to which GSAT students were sent. Without a junior minister, he would have little time for his beleaguered and combative constituency. Who knows? Given Bruce's conciliatory and incorporative stance, he might decide to enlist the help of former combatant Patrick Roberts to back him up.
Speaking of battles, one should be raring in the energy, mining and communications portfolio as former minister, Phillip Paulwell, and Clive Mullings have some similarities. Mullings, also a lawyer but better-spoken, is also being given a ministry over which he has no technical knowledge. In Opposition, given all the criticisms that Paulwell faced, I expect him to be strident in breathing down the neck of Mullings to see if his slip shows.
Chris Tufton, friend of the fisherfolk, is from the breadbasket parish. This gives him much first-hand knowledge. Bright and having settled into his Ph.D., he now knows the difference between a head and bell. Still, Roger Clarke's big shoes are hard to fill.
Superbrat James Robertson is Minister Without Portfolio in Bruce's office. Good! The PM needs to keep an eye on him when he throws a tantrum.
'Babsy' Grange is a good pick for culture, youth and sport. She works in these areas. However, it is hoped that as Information Minister she will be more aware of facts, such as how her name appeared on the documents of a vehicle about which she was ignorant.
Mike Henry has been at enough roadblocks to have a first-hand view of the needs of transport and works. Similarly, Ed Bartlett is a Member of Parliament in the tourism capital; therefore, he ought to have general knowledge by now.
globalisation
Assumedly, physician Dr. Ken Baugh has interfaced with the World Health Organisation (WHO), building up his knowledge of foreign affairs and foreign trade. In this critical period of globalisation, the portfolio cannot be left in the hands of amateurs. Our tertiary-education system is under threat precisely because of an ill-advised signing of an agreement some years ago.
Nonetheless, my greatest concern is the strategic redeployment of Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) officers. Despite Dwight Nelson's protestations, I am even more convinced than in last week's column, that a leash is going to be put on trade unions. Dwight is in the Ministry of (Finance and) the Public Service. He is now government's line of defence in negotiations with the public sector unions. Surprise, surprise! Nelson did threaten to break ranks with the union movement.
Pearnel Charles is now Minister of Labour. The JLP in 1986 enacted legislation to give the minister independent power to send matters to the Industrial Disputes Tribunal even without conciliation. The statute is unchanged. Let's hope that Charles acts from the black side of his head and remembers that workers, via the trade unions, put him where he is.
Furthermore, they should recall that the last time that the BITU bowed to Government in 1985, it catapulted the UAWU to prominence as it stole more than 2,000 members. This time, Lambert Brown is definitely not Labourite.
And Ruddy Spencer? Well, given the health and environmental concerns of his Rocky Point and Portland Cottage constituents, his feet should be wet by now. Let's watch!
Dr. Orville Taylor is senior lecturer in the Department of Sociology, Psychology and Social Work at UWI, Mona.
