In other news, former Foreign Minister, Eamon Courtenay's resignation was confirmed in mid December. Since then, the Minister of Education, Culture, Science, and Technology has also had to add Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade to his portfolio. It's a combination of two large and critical ministries that have no organic relationship to each other. The media asked Minister Kareem Musa what he thought about the changes.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"I think that Mr Courtenay definitely brought a lot to the table but at the same time Minister Francis Fonseca will certainly be able to fill that void adequately, we have every confidence in Minister Francis but at the same time Minister Courtenay is still there with us, as you know he's still our lead senator and of course he does offer ver invaluable advice and guidance and we are truly appreciative of that."
Reporter:
"How does that work though? A lot of people have said that is just not legal."
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"I would have to look at the particulars of it but who best to have looked at that situation and determine that it's legal than one of our most eminent attorneys himself, Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay, so I'm sure they have ironed off that to make sure it's legal."
Courtney Menzies:
"The press release had said that Minister Courtenay enjoys "Cabinet privileges" what exactly do those privileges refer to if he's no longer a minister?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Be able to participate and like I said, give guidance at the Cabinet level."
Courtney Menzies:
"But if he resigned or he demitted, why not just leave clean, why stick around?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Well, again it goes back to the very point I just made, that he brings to the table a lot of invaluable advice and guidance and certainly that will assist us moving forward."
Courtney Menzies:
"Amalgamating the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade with Education, Culture, Science and Technology, these are two huge ministries, what was the decision process behind giving all of this to Mr Fonseca?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"Above my pay grade, that is entirely in the discretion of the prime minister."
Courtney Menzies:
"But do you think it's a little strange combining these two ministries?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"No, not at all, I think the prime minister certainly had to factor in the different individuals in Cabinet, the different qualifications that each of these individuals hold and like I said, this is not a big job for Minister Francis, he can certainly handle himself, both as Minister of Education and Minister of Foreign Affairs, both of them he's adequately qualified to handle."
Reporter:
"There were rumors that Minister Courtenay left because he didn't like the style of how the Cabinet was led. Is there any truth to those rumors and do you personally like how it is led?"
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
"I certainly do enjoy how the Cabinet is led and I have never heard any such rumor and so you would have to bring some more information because I have never heard that from Minister Courtenay, he's never said that to any of us, at least not to me."
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