The newest members of Cabinet and the Senate have vowed to give of their best to serve the country.
Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology, Marsha Caddle, and Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, Senator Chad Blackman, were among the officials who made that promise as they were sworn in at State House on Monday.
After taking the oath before President the Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, Caddle told reporters she was looking forward to serving in the new role.
“This a Ministry that has tremendous growth potential to be able to deliver so I look forward to getting on the ground right away, seeing what my colleagues before have been able to achieve and what I can build on with the help of the rest of Cabinet.
“I know that they will have a lot to share with what they have been working on. We have to be able to uncover and support some new and emerging areas and be able to identify high growth companies that will be able to add to economic development and growth for all,” Caddle said.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for St Michael South Central since 2018, first served as Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment.
She thanked Prime Minister Mia Mottley for the new opportunity but assured her constituents that she would continue to serve them as well.
“I am very privileged to be able to serve again. I also want to take this opportunity to assure my constituents and the remind the country of the Prime Minister’s promise two years ago that Minister who are MPs, will have Wednesdays to remain active in the constituencies and I want to assure those whom I serve at that level that, that will continue,” she said.
After he was sworn in former ambassador Blackman said he was looking forward to ensuring more Barbadians could become prosperous.
“I have to be briefed from the Ministry but priority number one would be to understand the lay of the land.
“Over the years Barbados has been a country that continues to punch above its weight but there are some challenges. We are in a very critical moment of our history when we are looking to build out our economy and trying to build out an economy that is prosperous. We have to look at foreign investments but equally domestic investments must be a part of the mix,” Blackman said.
Blackman’s colleague Reverend Charles Morris was also sworn in.
“It is a privilege to serve in the legislature of the country. I will do so with every degree of humility in me,” Morris said.
The ceremony was held two days after Mottley announced her latest cabinet re-shuffle and changes to the cabinet.
Caddle replaced former Minister of Industry Davidson Ishmael who is now the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness after Dr Sonia Browne resigned from that post.
MP Sandra Husbands is now the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education. (TG)
From left: Minister in the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Investment, Senator Chad Blackman; Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology, Marsha Caddle; and Senator Reverend Charles Morris. (Picture by Reco Moore)
President of Barbados, the Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, addressing the gathering which included Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley and Attorney Genera; Dale Marshall at State House. (Picture by Reco Moore)
