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The recent changes in Cabinet are also bringing changes to the chief executive officers who manage the ministries. Minister of National Security, Energy and Ports Michel Chebat has confirmed the reassignment of CEOs following Prime Minister John Briceño’s announcement of new ministerial portfolios on Tuesday. Francis Usher, who served as CEO in the Ministry of National Defence and Border Security, will oversee National Security. Elton Bennett moves from Home Affairs to Public Utilities and Solid Waste Management, while Dr. Leroy Almendarez remains with Chebat, overseeing Energy and Ports. The assignments follow the restructuring of ministries and the transfer of responsibilities among ministers.
Michel Chebat, Minister of National Security: “With me remaining in this ministry will be CEO Francis Usher who’s going to be in charge of the national security aspect of the ministry and then on the other side we’re going to have Dr. Almendarez who will be in charge of energy and ports. CEO Bennett is going to be going over to the new Ministry of Public Utilities. As you know we have the the head of the BDF, the head of the police, the head of the Coast Guard and so we’re working with them as a team and with their technical people and then on the other side we have CEO Almendarez who’s heading the energy unit and then we have Port Commissioner Kaylon Young who’s helping us to run the port side of things. So what you have here is a group of people working together and putting all of this together. That’s the only way you can do it. I’m relying on the technical people who are on the ground who have the know-how and who can provide the guidance.”
Chebat’s expanded portfolio brings responsibility for policing and defence under his leadership, alongside Energy and Ports. For Chebat, the new assignments mean taking on a wider role in the country’s security and development. He spoke about his reaction to the increased responsibilities and his plans as he settles into the expanded ministry.
Michel Chebat, Minister of National Security: “I must say that I am grateful to the Prime Minister for the confidence he has placed in me to lead this new combined ministry. But definitely, René, it is overwhelming. It is now a big ministry. We have some very pressing issues that we need to address immediately. I am confident that I have the ability with all the service personnel, all the technical people we have around to be able to lead this country and to safeguard our national defence and our territory. I have spent some time talking to all of the services chief. As a matter of fact, that’s what I’ve been doing over the last 24 hours, familiarizing myself with where we are, what are the pressing issues and some of the steps that we need to take. And as time goes on, we are going to be doing that more and more. And so it is a lot of work. It is a lot of work, but I am undaunted and I feel that this is something that we can get done in the correct way that will bring confidence to the citizens of Belize that we are doing the correct thing.”
Other changes announced this week place Ramon Cervantes at the helm of Public Utilities, Logistics and Solid Waste Management. Dr. Osmond Martinez moves from Minister of State to full Minister of Economic Transformation, while Henry Charles Usher takes responsibility for Enterprise alongside his existing duties.
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