Trinidad Express:
PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning on Monday announced the appointment of Dr. Lenny Saith as the new Minister of Energy and Energy Industries.
Saith will hold this portfolio in addition to his existing responsibilities of Minister of Public Administration and Information, according to a statement from the Office of the Prime Minister, Whitehall.
Saith's appointment comes one week after former Energy Minister Eric Williams was charged with seven counts of corruption for allegedly accepting TT$75,000 in bribery payments from PNM councillor Dansam Dhansook between January 2003 and July 2003.
MOST TRUSTED ALLY
The appointment has put to rest days of speculation on who Manning would have chosen to head the Energy Ministry.
The Daily Express was the first to name Saith, Manning's most trusted ally and political strategist of 18 years as the most likely choice, in an exclusive story last Tuesday.
Political insiders had said that Saith, who chairs the Government's Energy Sub-Committee was the best in the Cabinet to ensure continuity and a smooth transition, given the number of critical energy sector initiatives in the pipeline.
In an immediate response yesterday, Saith told the Daily Express: "I will give it my best shot."
