Edmond Campbell, News Coordinator

Trevor MacMillan being sworn in as government senator and Minister of National Security at King's House on Tuesday, May 13. On April 1, the prime minister took charge of the environment and land portfolios in a move which seemed to have caught the portfolio ministers and members of his party by surprise. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

PRIME MINISTER Bruce Golding's latest shuffle of portfolio duties in the executive to accommodate the entry of Colonel Trevor MacMillan as national security minister follows at least four previous changes in his eight-month-old administration.

Derrick Smith, who shadowed the national security portfolio for little more than 18 years, had pledged to reduce murders by a considerable number during his first year in office.

increased calls

But Smith did not last for a year in that portfolio, as increased calls for the Government to provide solutions to the escalating murder rate forced a decision to move Smith, and to find a job in the Cabinet for him.

The portfolio responsibility held by Clive Mullings has been reduced by two thirds, with Mullings asked to concentrate on energy, while Smith has been given the job to oversee mining and telecommunications. This is in addition to his portfolio responsibility for electoral matters.

In November last year, Transport and Works Minister Mike Henry was relieved of portfolio responsibility for Air Jamaica by the prime minister.

Don Wehby, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, was given responsibility for the national airline.

Henry, at the time, was embroiled in a bitter row with executives of Virgin Atlantic over the sale of Air Jamaica slots at the London Heathrow Airport by the previous government. The transport and works minister had also publicly expressed disagreement with the code-share agreement between the two airlines.

PM'S surprise

On April 1, the prime minister took charge of the environment and land portfolios in a move which seemed to have caught the portfolio ministers and members of his party by surprise.

The land portfolio was severed from the Ministry of Agriculture and Land, headed by Dr Christopher Tufton. Health and Environment Minister Rudyard Spencer was given less to do in his ministry recently when a major component of the environment portfolio was axed and placed under the prime minister's watch. These changes were first picked up in the 2008-2009 Estimates of Expenditure.