Govt left out names of advisers- Teixeira
The People’s Progressive Party (PPP) on Thursday slammed government for not revealing the names of all the advisers, and threatened to move to the Privileges Committee of the House on the basis that parliamentarians were deliberately misled.
“We find this rather strange that a number of persons were omitted,” PPP Chief Whip, Gail Teixeira told a news conference.
Last month, Minister of State Joseph Harmon named 33 persons who have since been appointed honorary advisers and six ministerial advisers.
She said that based on information culled from the media for almost one year now, five persons have not been named as advisers in the list that was some weeks ago presented to the National Assembly.
“Therefore, we find it extraordinary irresponsible of the government to have not provided a full and comprehensive list of the persons who were advisors to ministers,” she stated.
The Minister of State, in response to the questions in the House, has said that none of the advisors has been issued with diplomatic passports pr being paid a salary.
The names of the 33 members appointed are as follows: Ronald Albert, Rohan Somar, Joycelyn Williams, Ewart Marshall, Lawrence ‘Larry’ London, Jennifer Dougall, Errol Lewis, Anitha Cochran, Derrick Arjune, Aubrey Duncan, Lurlene Nestor, Beryl James, Yvonne Britton, Morris Wilson, Volda Forsythe, Eileen Rayman, Edith Bynoe, Basil Blackman, Dawn Simmons, Guliana Jacobs, Eustace Hope, Gordon Winter, Artie Ricknauth, Jerome Bulkan, Hazel Binger, Donna Lindon, Desiree Horne, Ovid Morrison, Veronica Munroe, Wayne Forde, Savitri Farley, Tamesh Lilmohan and George Williams.
There were other Ministerial Advisor appointments to several other Ministries. These have been identified as Cheryl Sampson, and Allan Munroe – Advisors to the Ministry of Education. Ndibi Schweirs, advisor to the Ministry of Natural Resources. Lance Carberry, Ministerial Advisor on Constitutional Reform to the Minister of State, Mervin Williams, advisor to the Ministry of Indigenous Affairs and Kenneth Jordan Ministerial Advisor on Public Infrastructure.