Twenty-five ministers were sworn in to the new Cabinet of Barbados on Monday during a ceremony at Carifesta House, with several notable additions and portfolio changes announced by Prime Minister Mia Mottley.
Among those named was former Minister of Finance in the opposition Democratic Labour Party (DLP) administration, Chris Sinckler, who returns to frontline politics as a Senator and has been appointed Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. His appointment marks a significant political return and is among several changes to the new Cabinet.
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Addressing a packed audience, Mottley outlined the rationale behind her selections and emphasized the responsibility now facing the Cabinet, noting that the team must remain focused on delivering for the people of Barbados.
Chief Executive Officer of the National Cultural Foundation (NCF), Carol Roberts, announced the full list of Ministers, including the Senators named to serve in the Cabinet.
Immediate past Chairman of the Electoral and Boundaries Commission, Senior Counsel Ramon Alleyne, has been appointed as a Government Senator.
Sinckler not only becomes a Senator and Senior Minister in the Mia Mottley administration, he also takes over the portfolio of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, previously held by Kerrie Symmonds. Michael Lashley, who also served in successive DLP administrations, was given the portfolio of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice.
In addition to the Senators in the Cabinet, Roberts named the remaining Senators.
In her address, Mottley said the Cabinet represented a team for the changing times, which were different to when they were first elected in 2018.
“It will demand sober judgement from us, steady hands, and yes, above all else, the courage both to act and to listen. And this is why the Cabinet that is being sworn in today is not just a list of names. It is a structure that has been deliberately balanced, carefully chosen, and repurposed to face the current realities of our moment today,” she said.
Government of Barbados – Ministerial Portfolios
Prime Minister – Mia Amor Mottley
Attorney General – Wilfred Abrahams
Senior Minister (Infrastructure) & Minister of Transport and Works – Kirk Humphrey
Deputy Prime Minister; Minister of Environment, National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy & Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly – Santia Bradshaw
Senior Minister (Reform, Social and Environmental Services) – Jerome Walcott (Senator)
Senior Minister (Productive Sector) & Minister for Energy and Business – Kerrie Symmonds
Minister of Finance – Ryan Straughn
Senior Minister (Foreign Affairs) – Chris Sinckler (Senator)
Minister of the Public Service and Talent Development – Kay McConney
Minister of Public and Private Investment – Indar Weir
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs – Adrian Forde
Minister of Tourism and International Transport – Ian Gooding-Edghill
Minister of Labour, Social Security and the Third Sector – Colin Jordan
Minister of Housing, Lands and Maintenance – Chris Gibbs
Minister of Health and Wellness & Leader of Government Business in the Senate – Lisa Cummins (Senator)
Minister of Home Affairs and Information – Gregory Nicholls
Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice – Michael Lashley
Minister of Educational Transformation – Chad Blackman
Minister of Tertiary, Technological and Vocational Training – Sandra Husbands
Minister of Agriculture and National Food Security – Shantal Munro-Knight
Minister of Sports and Community Empowerment – Charles Griffith
Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology – Jonathan Reid (Senator)
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Economic Affairs and Planning – Marsha Caddle
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Pan-African Affairs and Heritage – Trevor Prescod
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness – Davidson Ishmael
Minister of State in the Ministry of Transport and Works – Romel Springer
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office with responsibility for Youth and Culture – Shane Archer (Senator)
