L-R: Attorney General Anil Nandlall, Vice President Bharrat Jagdeo, President Irfaan Ali, Prime Minister Mark Phillips, and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, Gail Teixeira
President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Monday, disclosed that his full cabinet to carry out the new government’s development agenda will be appointed by the end of this week.
The President made this announcement during a brief meeting with the Heads of Department of the Ministry of the Presidency.
Just after taking the Oath of Office during a simple ceremony at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) on Sunday, President Ali made a few key appointments.
Former Chief-of-Staff of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Brigadier (retired) Mark Phillips will serve as the country’s Prime Minister.
General Secretary of the PPP/C and former President Bharrat Jagdeo will serve as Vice President.
PPP/C Executive Member Anil Nandlall has returned as Guyana’s Attorney General; while veteran politician and former Opposition Chief Whip Gail Teixeira was appointed Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance.
During a brief address this morning, the President clearly stated that it is his expectation that all members of staff will work together as a team for the benefit of every Guyanese.
President Ali said that the Ministry of the Presidency must lead by example and provide the best possible service to the Guyanese populace even as he cautioned persons against acts of disunity and distrust.
Meanwhile, Jagdeo, who served as President from 1999 to 2011, will be heading the new government’s transition team, which will, in the coming days, work towards a full transition of power with the A Partnership for National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) coalition.
Speaking with the media following the appointment, Jagdeo explained that he did not want to return, in an official capacity, to Government.
“Frankly speaking, I did not want to [take up the post] …maybe I wouldn’t have been had we had an immediate transition,” he explained.
“But given the reality of what took place, the pandemic and then the collapse of the economy and this attitude of bullyism, I think the experience I have must be deployed in a formal way…,” Jagdeo pointed out.
Going forward, Jagdeo said the PPP/C will now have to work towards creating an environment that will be conducive of working together.
“It didn’t have to be this way; we could have had a transition to a new government based on the results of the elections five months ago and create an atmosphere that could have been conducive to working together,” Jagdeo stated.
