Tonight, the Barrow Administration has its fourth minister of Natural Resources in two years and 7 months. And it is most unexpected: a relatively junior Minister Hugo Patt will now take over the powerful Natural Resources portfolio.
He takes the place of no less than Prime Minister Dean Barrow - who was the Minister in name only - and Minister of State Dr. Carla Barnett who was running the day to day operations of the Ministry. Prime Minister Barrow now takes Patt's decidedly un-glamorous portfolio of Labour, Local Government, Rural Development, Energy, Public Utilities, Public Service, and Elections and Boundaries - where he will be assisted by Frank Mena, who continues as Minister of State responsible for Public Utilities, Energy, Public Service, and Elections and Boundaries, while Dr. Barnett takes responsibility for Labour, Local Government and Rural Development.
Overall, it's a major promotion for Patt, the second term Corozal North Representative - who became a full minister for the first time in November, 2015. Now, less than three years later, he's at the helm of, arguably, the second most powerful ministry in government - behind only the Ministry of Finance.
And, he'd better enjoy it, because recent history suggests he might not be there for too long. Since Gaspar Vega was not-too gently pushed aside in 2015, there have been two very short stints by Senator - Ministers Hulse and Retreage, and one intermediate 18 month term by the Barrow-Barnett tandem.
Of course, it wasn't really a tandem - because Barnett ran the Ministry day to day and the Prime Minister was only nominally involved. She takes the hardest hit - as she is now responsible for possibly the least resourced portfolio in Cabinet. It can also be seen as an ominous sign for her politically, as the UDP's fortunes in her Freetown division have been faltering with every passing election since 2015. But, while that is the read based on our information from insiders, today's press release from the Government opens up with a weird declaration, quote: "Pursuant to a request from the Hon. Dr. Carla Barnett to be reassigned from her current position as Minister of State in the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Office of the Prime Minister announces the following Cabinet changes…" End quote.
But, observers tell us, if Dr. Barnett did indeed make such a request it was under pressure from her Cabinet colleagues. The truth is that she has very few allies in Cabinet - who see her as difficult and un-responsive to their political exigencies.
That is why - with this move - the Prime Minister can be seen as having made a concession to more political considerations. For almost three years, since 2015, Mr. Barrow has been trying to clean up the ministry he famously called "a hotbed of corruption" by appointing a succession of Senator - Ministers untainted by corruption. But now, putting an elected representative back at the helm - is shows that he is making some concession to basic political reflex. We say "some concession" because while Patt is a politician - he does not have a reputation of corruption, or for running a public/private enterprise, as do others in Cabinet.
And finally, it is also a balancing act by the Prime Minister as he tries not to disturb the delicate balance of power in the party between himself and the two men who would replace him, Patrick Faber and John Saldivar. Patt is in neither camp, and neither does he pose a threat to any of the aspirants for leader. And, no, our best information says he is not being groomed as successor - he is just a safe choice.
The changes take effect in two weeks on June 25th.
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