St. Vincent and the Grenadines witnessed the inauguration of a new 17-member cabinet on Tuesday, marking the commencement of Prime Minister Godwin Friday’s administration following his New Democratic Party’s decisive 14-1 electoral victory on November 27. The swearing-in ceremony occurred strategically one day before the NDP’s 50th anniversary, symbolizing the party’s return to power after extensive periods in opposition.
Prime Minister Friday, 66, assumes multiple critical portfolios including Finance, Legal Affairs & Justice, Economic Planning, and Private Sector Development. The cabinet features several notable appointments: Attorney General Sarah Louise Mitchell, daughter of NDP founder Sir James Mitchell, despite her previous unsuccessful parliamentary bid; Deputy Prime Minister Major St. Clair Leacock, 73, overseeing National Security and Immigration; and Daniel Cummings leading Health & Wellness and Energy after shadowing these areas for over a decade.
The administration maintained the educational ministry separation implemented by the previous Unity Labour Party government, which governed for 25 years before its recent defeat. However, this continuation has sparked scrutiny regarding portfolio distribution. Observers noted the absence of dedicated ministries for information, ecclesiastical affairs, and questioned the placement of civil aviation, consumer affairs, and public service responsibilities.
Notably, the education sector now involves three ministers: Phillip Jackson as primary minister, Senator Lavern King as junior minister for Education, Vocational Training, Innovation and Digital Transformation, and Terrance Olliverre handling Higher Education alongside Grenadines Affairs, Local Government, Airports and Seaports. This structure prompted former education minister Curtis King to publicly critique the arrangement on social media, generating mixed reactions from support to mockery.
The complete cabinet includes ministers responsible for Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Social Welfare, Gender Affairs, Housing, Youth and Sports, Fisheries, Tourism, and a Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, forming a comprehensive governance team for the nation’s next five-year term.