More than 72 hours after reports started circulating of a major shake-up at the finance ministry, the first official confirmation has come from the Government.

Prime Minister Bruce Golding yesterday confirmed a Sunday Gleaner report that Sharon Crooks is to be replaced as financial secretary after less that two years in the job.

However, Golding did not name her replacement despite confir-mation from other government sources that head of the Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dr Wesley Hughes, is the man moving to Heroes Circle.

"It is a work in progress but certainly by next week, I expect a new financial secretary to be appointed. I do have powers under the Constitution to reassign permanent secretaries and the financial secretary is regarded under the Constitution as a permanent secretary," Golding told private-sector leaders in St Andrew yesterday morning.

Another agency

He said Crooks would be assigned to another agency but did not confirm reports that she is to go to the Ministry of Mining and Energy.

"Those discussions are continuing with her," Golding said.

He noted that the Government was seeking to recruit other technical persons to support the "tremendous workload" that the finance ministry will have to carry, particularly at this time.

"I can't say much more about it, except to say those discussions will be taking place over the next few weeks and the appropriate announcement will be made," Golding added.

The finance ministry is now in the middle of crafting the letter of intent which will be sent to the International Monetary Fund as part of Jamaica's proposal to enter a standby arrangement with the fund.

The Audley Shaw-led ministry is also facing the daunting task of reshaping the 2009-2010 Budget to reflect the reality of lower-than-projected revenue and a corresponding cut in government expenditure.

That Supplementary Budget is slated to be tabled in Parliament next month.

It is a work in progress but certainly by next week, I expect a new financial secretary to be appointed. - Golding