IN one of her government's first major acts, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar announced on May 3 that she intends to send the new Minister of Energy and Energy Industries Dr Roodal Moonilal to neighbouring Grenada to explore fresh oil and gas possibilities for Trinidad and Tobago, which was bigger than the Dragon Gas Field.
She also gave notice of a weighty legislative agenda, which new Attorney General John Jeremie, who served in two PNM administrations, will lead as the government moves to open the new parliamentary term.
High on its agenda, Persad-Bissessar said, will be the repeal of the contentious Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority Act, the introduction of stand your ground laws, home invasion laws and the regulations to make it easier to grant gun licences to law-abiding citizens.
While there are many other pieces of legislation forthcoming, she regarded these as 'low hanging fruit that will not require too much money.
'But we really want to bring these things into place.'
Persad-Bissessar was addressing guests after the swearing-in ceremony for her 34-member government at President's House, St Ann's, on May 3.
It includes 22 Cabinet ministers, six parliamentary secretaries and four junior ministers. The oaths of office were administered by President Christine Kangaloo The Minister of Trade, Investment and Tourism will be announced in the coming week as that person was out of the country.
The ceremony began at 5 pm, an hour later than the scheduled start, as two accidents and inclement weather delayed the Persad-Bissessar's entourage from South Trinidad.
Guests, ministers and diplomats at the event were informed by the President's aide-de-camp about the reasons for the late start.
Notable appointments include former senior superintendent Roger Alexander as Minister of Homeland Security, Wayne Sturge as Minister of Defence, Devesh Maharaj as Minister of Justice, Dr Roodal Moonilal as Minister of Energy, David Lee as Minister of Housing, Jearlean John as Minister of Works and Infrastructure and Dr Michael Dowlath as Minister of Education.
Dominic Smith has been brought into the Cabinet as a senator and Minister of the newly-created Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence while former Public Services Association president Leroy Baptise was appointed Minister of Labour, Small and Enterprise Development.
The UNC-led coalition of interests swept the April 28 general election, winning 26 of the 41 seats. The PNM got 13 seats and the Farley Augustine-led Tobago People's Party won the Tobago East and West seats, which the PNM had held since 2015.
Persad-Bissessar, who was sworn in as TT's ninth Prime Minister on May 1, began her brief, off-the-cuff address by acknowledging that the country now has a government in place.
She said there would be no grace period for her ministers.
'The first order of business is boots on the ground and get to work. We have a lot of work to do,' she said.
Persad-Bissessar, the Siparia MP, then thanked all those 'for the good f
