Works and Transport Minister Jack Warner says there will be no cabinet reshuffle. Warner, chairman of the United National Congress (UNC), said what would take place would be a "realignment" of portfolios. "Some will lose, some will gain," he said. The Chaguanas West MP also said some ministers would be given portfolios based on their performance during the past year. He described the pending move as similar to what happened to Couva South MP Rudranath Indarsingh, who was moved as Minister in the Ministry of Works and Transport to the Ministry of Labour and Small and Micro Enterprise Development earlier this year.
Warner said the Prime Minister always acted after consultation. Warner made the statement while speaking with the media yesterday, after turning the sod to begin construction of the Garazin Shouter Baptist Cathedral at Soriah Branch Trace, Las Lomas. He also promised to contribute one month of his annual salary as a government minister for the next fouryears towards the project. Warner said as long as the Government remained in power, he would donate the money. He praised the Baptist community, in particular the women who played an instrumental role in keeping the faith alive during the years the movement had gone underground.
Jairam Seemungal, the MP for La Horquetta/Talparo, also pledged $10,000 in building materials for the cathedral. Seemungal said crime had been on the decrease in his constituency and urged members of the Baptist community to use their strengths to empower young people as tomorrow's leaders.He said the Baptist community should also start educating the national community about their religion in a bid to dispel any myths people had about the religion. People's National Movement (PNM) MP Dr Amery Brown showed up after the sod-turning ceremony, but did not speak.
Bishop Dr Victor Phillip, also on the board of the T&T Contractors Association, said the project was on ten acres of land. He said the Baptists planned to construct the cathedral at the cost of $4.5 million, and 54 three-bedroom houses and a home for the aged. He said the first phase of the project should cost $35 million. Phillip said the houses would be for sale to the public and the monies generated from these sales would go towards maintaining the cathedral.