NEWLY appointed Minister of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Senator Kennedy Swaratsingh officially assumed duties on May 5.

He met with the ministry's executive team, including permanent secretary Aarti Bedassie-Maharaj, deputy permanent secretaries, heads of department, managers and staff, to begin strategising and planning the ministry's work programme under his watch.

A statement from the ministry said Swaratsingh 'emphasised his goal is to ensure that all the plans, programmes and activities under the mandate of the ministry are done to completion at an exceedingly high level, while driving the agenda for the nation's economy.'

The department was recently renamed from the Ministry of Planning and Development to incorporate its expanded economic affairs and development strategy portfolio.

Swaratsingh thanked staff in advance for their support and committed to maintaining open lines of dialogue at all levels of the organisation.

The ministry said Swaratsingh 'stated his intentions to work with all ministries to keep the environment, monitoring and evaluation, technology and cyber security, spatial planning, evidence based data and national statistics as well as agriculture among other sectors as key factors for the economic development of Trinidad and Tobago.'

Swaratsingh stressed the importance of timely and high-quality project execution, saying all initiatives under the ministry must be completed to a standard of 'excellence,' in line with national development goals.

Swaratsingh has served in previous ministerial capacities, including as Minister of Public Administration under the People's National Movement government from 2007 to 2010.

The post Swaratsingh leads first ministerial executive discussion appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.