Cabinet: Who Is In, Moved & What Changed
Michael Weeks is out of Cabinet, Curtis Dickinson and Zane DeSilva are now in Cabinet, and the Ministries have been realigned with changed responsibilities, with the exception of the Ministry of Public Works, which remains unchanged under Minister David Burch.
These changes were announced yesterday by Premier David Burt, who said he is taking “the opportunity to realign some departments to better fit with the policy aims and objectives of the Government.”
Finance moved from Premier David Burt to Minister Curtis Dickinson, while the Premier’s office is now responsible for ICT policy, innovation, information and digital technologies, which effectively means that Premier Burt is assuming responsibility for fintech, which was previously managed by Minister Wayne Caines.
Minister Caines retains the National Security portfolio, and also assumes responsibility for immigration from Minister Walton Brown, who becomes the Minister for the Cabinet Office.
The former Minister for Cabinet Office, Lovitta Foggo, becomes the Minister of Labour, Community Affairs and Sports, while tourism moved from Minister Jamahl Simmons to Minister Zane DeSilva, with Minister DeSilva also taking over transport from Minister Walter Roban.
Jamahl Simmons remains in Cabinet as Minister without Portfolio, focusing on communication and consultation, while Deputy Premier Walter Roban moves to Minister of Home Affairs, which now includes the Department of Energy.
Michael Weeks is now out of Cabinet with his former Ministry of Social Development and Sports no longer existing, with the areas that fell within that Ministry delegated to other Ministries: community affairs and sports now handled by Minister Lovitta Foggo, financial assistance by Minister Kim Wilson, and the Department of National Drug Control and Child & Family Services by Attorney-General Kathy Simmons.
Gaming now falls under the Finance Ministry, Minister Diallo Rabain retains education, and Minister Kim Wilson continues as the Minister of Health, with the Department of Financial Assistance now falling under her portfolio.
Old Cabinet
- Premier David Burt: Minister of Finance
- Lovitta Foggo: Minister for the Cabinet Office with responsibility for Government Reform
- Diallo Rabain: Minister of Education and Workforce Development
- Wayne Caines: Minister of National Security with responsibility for fintech
- Walter Roban: Minister of Transportation & Regulatory Affairs
- Michael Weeks: Minister of Social Development & Sport
- Walton Brown: Minister of Home Affairs
- Lt/Col David Burch: Minister of Public Works
- Jamahl Simmons: Minister of Tourism and Economic Development
- Kim Wilson: Minister of Health
- Kathy Simmons: Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs
New Cabinet
- Premier David Burt: Responsibility for ICT policy, innovation, information and digital technologies
- Walter Roban: Ministry of Home Affairs, including Department of Energy
- Kathy Simmons: Legal Affairs, Department of National Drug Control and Child & Family Services
- Lovitta Foggo: Ministry of Labour, Community Affairs and Sports, including Workforce Development
- Kim Wilson: Ministry of Health, including Department of Financial Assistance
- Wayne Caines: Ministry of National Security, including Department of Immigration
- Walton Brown: Minister for the Cabinet Office
- Jamahl Simmons: Minister without Portfolio, including communication, consultation
- Diallo Rabain: Ministry of Education
- David Burch: Ministry of Public Works
- Curtis Dickinson: Minister of Finance, which includes gaming
- Zane DeSilva: Minister of Tourism & Transport
Responsibilities: What Remained The Same Or Changed
- Finance: Moves from David Burt to Curtis Dickinson
- Education: Remains under Diallo Rabain
- Cabinet Office: Moves from Lovitta Foggo to Walton Brown
- National Security: Remains under Wayne Caines
- Fintech: Moves from Wayne Caines to David Burt
- Transport: Moves from Walter Roban to Zane DeSilva
- Gaming: Moves from Jamahl Simmons to Curtis Dickinson
- Sports: Moves from Michael Weeks to Lovitta Foggo
- Home Affairs: Moves from Walton Brown to Walter Roban
- Public Works: Remains under Lt/Col David Burch
- Legal Affairs: Remains under Kathy Simmons
- Tourism: Moves from Jamahl Simmons to Zane DeSilva
- Health: Remains under Kim Wilson
- Workforce Development: Moves from Diallo Rabain to Lovitta Foggo
Ok assuming Burt only took one salary, the addition of Dickinson means an extra $150K with another $150 spent on a Ministry of propaganda and another $150K spent on a cabinet minister when, previously, cabinet fell under the premier?
Seems like at least a waste of at least $300K?
Its not a matter of “assuming Burt only took one salary”, all Premier’s who take on another Ministry only take one salary. That is the same whether it is PLP, OBA, UBP etc.
So DeOnion is right then.
There were 11 ministers, now there are 12. One more salary. The PLP seems unable to admit this.
Ok, so I am right then. Thank you.
So! Walton Brown and Jamahl Simmons don’t have any, or very little work to do.
Sadly the Premier is wasting more taxpayer money just to keep them employed.
On the other hand, Simmons is probably fantasizing about another political party being formed.Then off he goes…..again!
There is always a lot of WORK TO DO NO MATTER WHST CABINET POST A MINISTER HOLDS….YOU NEED TO GET LEARNT UP….
GREAT MINISTER OF FINANCE!
STAY FOCUS PLP ON THE PEOPLE’S AGENDA
Betty, no need to continue with your propaganda. From what I understand you were awarded last weekend with your promotion to the Executive. Are you gunning for a candidacy with your continued post of nothingness?
He probably is great. But to bad he’s going to take the licks..
Especially when he announces how much our current debt it.
Might get a March then, oh never mind I forgot
Why the hell are we tax payers paying Jamahl Simmons all that money, and now he is a communication adviser… we all remember what he posted !!!
This is right up Jamahl’s alley. He can talk the talk but can’t walk the walk. He was clearly over his head with his previous portfolio but this one will be perfect for him as he’s really good at spouting rhetoric and doesn’t like to over-exert himself. He’ll do good here, I’m sure. I’m pleased that Min. Weeks is out. It was cringeworthy listening to him when he had to speak publicly. He was on the Sherri S. show not too long ago and it was clear that he was over his head. He was ill-formed in the issues when listeners called in with questions and gave all sorts of rambling, incoherent replies. It was like he had no clue what was going on in his own ministry. I felt embarrassed for him.
His press conference a few nights ago confirmed it-he is not cabinet material.
Minister of the cabinet office? Isn’t the premier the minister of the cabinet office as well as being premier. More wasted money for a position not needed.
Yup
the greedy plp think the Bermudian Tax payers are stupid
The ones who voted for them are!
I am sick of people calling PLP supporters stupid. Many people way more educated than you both voted for them because they did not feel the previous Gov’t had their best interests at heart. The OBA had one chance to get it right and blew it. Their arrogance was their downfall. The PLP is in power now, like it or not…and likely will be for many terms to come.Like him or not, Premier Burt is an intelligent, progressive man. I don’t agree with them on everything but I’ll take them over the OBA any day. The OBA couldn’t even pretend to care…
Same old parties…same old tricks! Get that debt down without flogging the taxpayers.
So when does the protest begin. O ya wait a minute. The plp are in power.
Can you imagine if the OBA had pulled a stunt like this…
march!
Did you see the news last night….asked the people on the street what they thought and it was all positive! One actually said ‘i wouldn’t get on here and talk bad about my party!’ lololol
What happened to the Environment Ministry?
It is laughable how taxpayers whine when the Government adds another salary to the list that are paid from the purse but never question when the BTA adds another high paid position. BTA positions are the most lucrative funded by the Government purse including additional perks. Hopefully Zane will have a close look at the ROI for both staff and PR/marketing.
Perhaps because the BTA is proving to be successful. The government is not. The other thing is that the government wants to deny adding another expensive person to the payroll.
The PLP: Doing Less With More.
Warms my heart to know that someone is being paid handsomely to look after the cabinet office. And that another one is ‘without portfolio’. Sounds very productive. Not.
Doesn’t look like nothing changed!
Trump supporter is fitting, bad grammar and all.
Sorry o perfeck 1
Burt will be Premier for a long time. Don’t see much there to challenge him other than Kim. Question for the Premier.
As the Minister of Finance did you okay the Customs Dept to move into Zane’s building. If it is true, how much rent are the taxpayers paying for such rent. Can you enlighten as it did not appear to be put out for tender.
This Island under the PLP, are headed for disaster,people look who is running this Island,stop looking at who is white or black and look at who is making the money at our expense.
One person gets a payday, and the finance minister is no longer the finance minister.
Things that make you say cha ching