If there were a ministry for best dressed at the swearing-in ceremony, Jearlean John would likely take the portfolio with ease.

Instead, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar appointed her to role that encapsulates her personality and workhorse-like attitude – Minister of Works and Infrastructure.

Decked in a black Valentino dress, John spoke to the Newsday after the ceremony at President's House on May 3.

John said she was happy with her ministry and ready to get to work.

"I'm always happy when I have work that is challenging but more importantly work that makes improvements to people's lives.

"I get up every day and get to work very early because you know what you do matters. That is my motivation."

Asked what her immediate goals were, John said she would review the ministry.

"We really want to get a sense of where we are. I don't want to go and impose what I think on them.

"I want to find out what are their priorities with respect to the country as a whole. What are the outstanding projects they have? What do they see as a matter of urgency."

John said looking at the financial status of the ministry was also a priority for her.

"We have a lot of incomplete infrastructure. Where are our accounts and who do we owe? What is the age of those accounts, because you have to pay people."

She said there were "well-qualified, hard-working technocrats" in the ministry, who she looks forward to leading.

"What is needed is leadership and based on your vision for the ministries in getting the output and outcomes.

"We are going to look to see where the bottlenecks are and all that is par for the course, but I'm hoping that within a few days, I'll be up and running because I work very quickly."

The post Stylish Jearlean to lead Works and Infrastructure ministry appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.