Dominica PM fires minister, shuffles Cabinet

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has given up responsibility for Foreign Affairs to Vince Henderson who will also head the Ministry of Immigration and Labour.

ROSEAU, Dominica, November 19, 2008 - Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has fired his Public Works and Infrastructural Development Minister Ambrose George.

Although he made no reference to Mr George’s troubles regarding allegations of financial wrongdoing, the Prime Minister told the nation last night in a radio address in which he revealed other Cabinet changes that Dominica needed to maintain a good reputation.

“The least we can do as a small developing nation is to be mindful of the signals we send in respect to fiscal prudence and adherence to acceptable standards of governance,” he said. “We must remain transparent and accountable in the eyes of the world.”

Mr George has been replaced by Rayburn Blackmoore, the former minister of National Security, Immigration and Labour. Prime Minister Skerrit has taken up that responsibility for National Security.

Mr Skerrit has also given up responsibility for Foreign Affairs to Vince Henderson who will also head the Ministry of Immigration and Labour.

Retired principal Sonia Williams, who recently joined the Senate, will take up Mr Henderson’s former post of Minister of Education, Human Resource Development, Sports and Youth Affairs.