New faces in the government structure
Editorial
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday announced the appointments of a new Finance Minister and Trade, Industry and Tourism Minister and nine new Permanent Secretaries and the reappointment of a Permanent Secretary. The appointment of a Finance Minister and a Trade, Industry and Tourism Minister were expected with in the first case, the change in the presidency after Mrs Janet Jagan resigned in August this year, and in the latter case with the illness of Minister Michael Shree Chan. We salute Mr Shree Chan for his grit, courage and determination in carrying out his duties despite his illness for which he underwent surgery in New York earlier this year. Few other men would have ventured back into office so quickly while recuperating from a serious illness and this is testimony to his fighting spirit. After he offered to step down and work in the Office of the President, Mr. Jagdeo was free to appoint a new minister and the general consensus is that Mr Geoff Da Silva is an excellent choice. He has proven himself as a hard worker in carrying out special assignments since his return home after serving as Guyana's Consul General in Toronto, Canada, and he has a fine example in Mr Shree Chan to follow. Mr Saisnarine Kowlessar comes in as new Finance Minister with wide academic experience and is expected to be working closely with President Jagdeo in the critical sector. He has already been welcomed by some as a good choice and the business sector, particularly, would be watching his performance closely. These and the other new appointments the President announced yesterday carry heavy responsibilities in the continuing onerous task of rebuilding the nation. We join in welcoming and wishing all these key appointees the very best in discharging their duties. Taken together, the appointments form the most important changes the President has made in the government structure in his first 100 days in office. Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr Roger Luncheon, earlier this week outlined the broad parameters Permanent Secretaries are expected to work within when he announced that their recruitment, appointment and retention were being re-examined as the first step in a plan to restructure the public service. Management skills and knowledge have to be in the forefront, he said, adding that the "contract of service of permanent secretaries would be results and output oriented...their tenure being solely based on performance and performance evaluation." Dr Luncheon declared that new technology and techniques must not only be inculcated into senior functionaries, but they should lead by example, and consequently, the role of the permanent secretary will be redefined. All eyes will be on the new faces in the government for a while and their immediate task will be to convince their backers and detractors that they can deliver. Again, we wish them all the best. 
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