Cabinet ministries assigned today

(CMR) The new Cayman Islands Government has assigned Cabinet-level ministerial responsibilities. Those with ministerial portfolios are as follows:

Hon. Wayne Panton, JP,

Premier

Cabinet Office and Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency (“MSCR”)

(The Premier also retains responsibility for the Royal Cayman Islands Police’s Budget).

Hon. Christopher Saunders, MP, Deputy Premier,

Finance, Economic Development & Labour   (“FEDL”)

Hon. Julianna O’Connor-Connolly, JP, MP

Education, District Administration, Lands and Survey (“EDAL”)

Hon. Bernie Bush, MP

Minister for Home Affairs, Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage (“HAYSCH”)

Hon. Kenneth Bryan, MP

Minister for Tourism and Transport (“T&T”)

Hon. Johany Ebanks, MP

Minister for Planning, Agriculture, Housing, and Infrastructure (“PAHI”)

Hon. Sabrina Turner, MP

Minister for Health (“MOH”)

Hon. Andre Ebanks, MP

Minister for Financial Services & Commerce (“FSC”)
and
Minister for Investment, Innovation & Social Development (“IISD”)

Making the announcement, the Premier Hon, Wayne Panton, said: “My thanks to the Deputy Governor and his team for facilitating our introduction to the work of the Civil Service over the past few days.”

“My Cabinet colleagues and I are eager to begin tackling the business of the Government in a way that positively impacts our diverse constituencies. We understand that we are here to serve the will of the people and we feel privileged to work alongside the Civil Service towards this goal.”

“We have aligned Ministerial responsibilities around the key priorities of this administration.  As an example, the Ministry of Education will have policy continuity and a streamlined focus in a more strategic portfolio.   This is the first time in over 20 years and 6 administrations that the same Minister has continued as Minister for Education,” he continued.

Premier Panton further noted, “As Premier, I have also chosen to retain a smaller portfolio which will allow me to coordinate the work of my administration.  However, I have created a Ministry to address the existential threats posed by climate change.”

Premier Panton concluded, “Improving the lives of our people will be at the center of everything we do.  That is why we have aligned responsibilities around Labour and Employment (to tie in with the Ministry of Finance) as well as Social Development to benefit from innovation and inward investment opportunities.”

Panton also announced the assignments of Parliamentary Secretaries.

They are:

-Katherine Ebanks-Wilks as Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Andre Ebanks (Financial Services) and Minister Julianna O’Connor-Connolly (Education).

-Isaac Rankine as Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Johany Ebanks and Minister Bush (Home Affairs); and

-Heather Bodden as Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Kenneth Bryan and Minister Andre Ebanks (Social Development).

Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson extended well wishes to the new Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries on behalf of the Civil Service.

“We have been working behind the scenes for some time to facilitate the smooth handover of power to any incoming Government. Now we are very much looking forward to helping them settle in and move the country forward in a way that benefits the lives of all Caymanians and residents,” Manderson remarked.