CONFIDENT of victory, Prime Minister Stuart Young says a new government ministry to assist in the implementation of projects will be created on April 29, one day after the April 28 general election.
Young made this disclosure when he addressed the official opening of the La Brea Community Centre on March 21. He also turned the sod for the nearby La Brea Enhancement Centre, which will have a community swimming pool.
Young promised there will be other developments in La Brea in the near future.
Young was sworn in as prime minister on March 17. On March 18, Young advised President Christine Kangaloo to dissolve the Parliament and announced the election will take place on April 28.
He succeeded Dr Keith Rowley who announced his decision to retire from electoral politics on January 6. He resigned as prime minister on March 16.
Recalling this sequence of events, Young told his audience many people have been asking what are his plans as prime minister.
[caption id="attachment_1145586" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Prime Minister Stuart Young, centre, cuts the ribbon to officially open the La Brea Community Centre on March 21. Looking on from left are, Minister of Digital Transformation Hassel Bacchus, Minister of Labour and MP for La Brea Stephen Mc Clashie, Minister of Sports and Community Development Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis, Minister of Tourism Randall Mitchell and Udecott CEO Tamica Charles-Phillips. - Photo by Innis Francis[/caption]
"I think one of the things I'm known for, is getting things done. When I make up my mind I am going to get something done. . . Dragon (gas project) . . . if it's Manatee (gas project), if it's other things, I drive hard and fight, all within the law and get it done."
"Correct?" he asked his audience.
"Yes" they replied.
Young said, "Let me tell you all what my government will have on April 29 of this year, will have.
"I am going to introduce for the first time a ministry of implementation and efficiency in the government of Trinidad and Tobago, out of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM)."
A similar initiative was attempted between October 21, 1999, and December 11, 2000, under the Basdeo Panday administration when businessman Lindsay Gillette was appointed as a minister in the the OPM with responsibility for implementation.
At that time, Panday said Gillette would act as a trouble-shooter and clear bottlenecks to help implement projects. It is unclear how successful Gillette was in that role. He later served as energy minister from December 22, 2000, to December 24, 2001.
The proposed ministry echoes in name US president Donald Trump's department of government efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk, which has initiated significant cuts in the federal government workforce.
Young says his ministry will seek to get projects done without red tape.
"For too long, things get lost in abeyance. That ministry will have the ability when I as prime minister say, 'Hey you see that deep water harbour (in La Brea), need that done.'
"When I need this done, need
