Few changes to Pres. Ali’s Cabinet

Sep 14, 2025 News

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…Manickchand moves to Local Govt., Parag heads to Education, Oneidge takes charge of Home Affairs
…Keoma Griffith, Steven Jacobs, Sarah Browne among new faces

 

Kaieteur News – President Irfaan Ali on Saturday night appointed members of his cabinet and announced the names of other parliamentarians and advisors at a ceremony held at State House, Georgetown.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most of the ministers who served the last five years were retained while, a few new faces and new ministries were announced.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall has retained his portfolio while Ministers Dr. Vindyha Persaud (Minister of Human Services), Dr. Frank Anthony (Minister of Health), Vickram Bharrat (Minister of Natural Resources), Charles Ramson (Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport), Gail Teixeira (Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance), Dr. Ashni Singh (Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance), Hugh Todd (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Relations), Kwame McCoy (Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister), Collin Croal (Minister of Housing), Juan Edgill (Minister of Public Works) and Zulfikar Mustapha (Minister of Agriculture) also retained their portfolios.

Meanwhile, former Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand has been assigned to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development. She will be joined by former Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Pauline Sukhai. Sukhai has been replaced by former Parliamentary Secretary, Sarah Browne.

Minister Sonia Parag who was Minister of Public Service, before it was absorbed by the Office of the President and served as Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, will now replace Manickchand as the education minister.

Minister Oneidge Walrond will replace former Minister Robeson Benn as the Minister of Home Affairs, while Benn will serve as her advisor. Former Minister of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues will take Walrond’s place as Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce.

Minister Deodat Indar was named Minister of Public Utilities and Aviation, a new ministry. In the last cabinet, he served as Minister within the Ministry of Public Works.

Amongst the new faces, Attorney-at-Law, Keoma Griffith will replace Minister Joseph Hamilton as the Minister of Labour and Manpower Planning, while Hamilton will serve as his advisor.

Businessman and former national cricketer, Steven Jacobs has been appointed Minister within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports with Minister Charles Ramson Jr. retaining his post as the senior minister. Another new face, Zulfikar Ally, was named Minister of Public Service, Government Efficiency and Implementation.

Additional new comers include Vickash Ramkissoon, who was named Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Mandanlall Ramraj Minister within the Ministry of Public Works and Vanessa Benn named Minister within the Ministry of Housing.

Meanwhile, in his address, President Irfaan Ali said, “The new cabinet today has been put on notice that… This government is not about power and I want to make that very clear.”

He said that ministers who wish to exercise power will find themselves out of a job very quickly, as the government stands on responsibility, service, and humility. “…no egos, no egos. The journey ahead is going to be accelerated. You’ll see that we at the Office of the President, we intend to lead by example,” said President Ali who himself took the oath of office last Sunday.

The head-of-state reminded that the victory of the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) was as a result of hard work, relentless sacrifices and commitment of men, not only in the cabinet.

Praising the work of his ministers, President Ali said that they laboured and trusted the vision of the PPP/C, “…that mission and the plans we advance are what we want to achieve as a people together in this country, and tonight, I ask you to applaud them. I want all of them to know that whilst tonight is a representation of one aspect of government, their work is the hard piece, the foundation and strength, upon which we stand, and we will continue to be part of this journey of transformation. And they will be the foundation of transformation that lies ahead of us.”

The president announced several presidential advisors: Dr. Mahendra Carpen – Presidential Advisor on Science & Healthcare Modernization; Sham Nokta – Presidential Advisor on Climate Change and Biodiversity, Ruel Johnson – Advisor in the One Guyana Commission, Robeson Benn – Advisor (Ministry of Home Affairs/Natural Resources); Joe Hamilton – Advisor in Ministry of Labour & Manpower Planning.

Additionally, James Anthony Bond, Zamal Hussein, Peter Ramsaroop, Anand Persaud, Suresh Singh, Mahendra Budhram, Jennifer Westford, Sanjay Datadin, Alistair Charlie and Sonia Lachman will serve as PPP/C parliamentarians.

Thandi McAllister and Mishka White-Griffith have been identified as Parliamentary Secretaries.

President Ali disclosed that additional appointments will be made next week.

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• Anil Nandlall, Dr. Vindyha Persaud, Gail Teixeira, GuyanaCabinet, Keoma Griffith, PPPC, President Irfaan Ali, Sarah Browne, Steven Jacobs

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