Edmond Campbell, News Coordinator

Eleven ministers of state and two parliamentary secretaries were sworn in yesterday at King's House by Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall. They are from left, front row: Arthur Williams, Robert Montague, Shahine Robinson, Everald, Warmington and Daryl Vaz. Centre: Joseph Hibbert. Back row, from left: Laurie Broderick, Andrew Gallimore, Senator Aundre Franklin, parliamentary secretary; Senator J.C. Hutchinson; Dr. Ronald Robinson; Michael Stern, and Senator Warren Newby, parliamentary secretary. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The Bruce Golding-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration is now fully empowered to carry out its governmental duties with the swearing-in yesterday of 11 ministers of state and two parliamentary secretaries, by Governor-General Professor Kenneth Hall at King's House, St. Andrew.

Declaring that the transition from the Portia Simpson Miller-led administration was now complete, Mr. Golding said the composition of Parliament was not finalised, but he would be advising the Governor-General, before the end of the week, of the nomination of the remaining six positions in the Senate.

In his charge to the group, Mr. Golding warned against arrogance, noting that the newly installed ministers were servants of the people, and should exercise power on behalf of the people.

"I hope that before all of the legal requirements are fulfilled that the Governor-General will be in a position to issue a proclamation summoning the new Parliament because we have much work to do."

Three ministers of state are assigned to the Office of the Prime Minister. They are Robert Montague, Shahine Robinson and Daryl Vaz.

Local government reform

Mr. Montague has been given the task to complete the process of local government reform, while Mrs. Robinson will have oversight responsibility for the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

Under this arrangement, Members of Parliament will be allocated $150 million each to carry out development projects in their constituency. This will cost the Government $9 billion.

The Prime Minister made it clear that the money set aside for development projects in constituencies "was not a slush fund, (not) a pork barrel", but would be subjected to stringent scrutiny and auditing.

Members of Parliament are required to prepare and submit a constituency development plan for a five-year period, before the end of the current fiscal year.

He said the Auditor General would be asked to carry out annual audits of how the CDF is spent.

Mr. Vaz has been given specific duties to monitor project implementation and service delivery in government.

He said the other state ministers would be assigned duties by their respective ministers.

Ministers of State

Robert Montague - OPM

Shahine Robinson - OPM

Daryl Vaz - OPM

Andrew Gallimore - Labour and Social Security

Joseph Hibbert - Transport and Works

Everald Warmington - Water and Housing

Michael Stern - Industry and Commerce

J.C. Hutchinson - Agriculture

Laurie Broderick - Mining, Energy and Telecommunications

Arthur Williams - National Security

Dr. Ronald Robinson - Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

Parliamentary Secretaries

Senator Warren Newby - Information, Culture, Youth and Sports

Senator Aundre Franklin - Health and Environment