And In political news, yesterday you heard from the Minister of Home Affairs on the Cabinet shuffle, which saw three area representatives promoted to ministers of state. This means that all 26 PUP area representatives now have ministries under their belts in some capacity.
Today we asked one long time minister of state, Dr Louis Zabaneh his views, and whether the role is actually vital in the operations of a ministry.
Dr Louis Zabaneh, Minister of State, MOECST
"It's all positive, I am so happy for my colleagues who have gotten this opportunity to serve in the different ministries, I'm sure they're gonna do a great job. As area representatives they have already been working and engaging in their areas but now they have the opportunity, as I am in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology, they have their particular ministries now to assist their senior ministers for us to fully implement Plan Belize."
"It's very helpful, in my case I could speak to my relationship with senior minister Francis Fonseca has been excellent, we work together, we knows the overall work that we have to do and he has asked me to help with particular areas. I've been very privileged to do that. It starts out with the prime minister giving the opportunity to be able to work at that level as a minister of state so we first thank the prime minister for his confidence in us and then we go forward and contribute the best way we can in the particular ministries that we have responsibility."
There are now an unprecedented 11 ministers of state.
