Belize’s Cabinet undergoes reshuffling

On August 10th the Government of Belize released an updated list of Cabinet and Chief Executive Officers (CEO) within the Ministries of governance. This marks the third reshuffling of the Cabinet since the last General Election in 2015.
The first change in Cabinet came on August 1, 2016, nine months after Prime Minister Dean Barrow installed the members of his Cabinet and Senate who would be assisting him in running the country for the 2015-2020 term. The urgent reshuffling on August 2016 came after corruption scandals within the Ministry of National Security erupted, and when key Cabinet Ministers were alleged to be associating with accused murdered and international con-artist William ‘Danny’ Mason.
The second reshuffling took place on October 19, 2016 after former Deputy Prime Minister and Orange Walk North Area Representative Honorable Gaspar Vega resigned from Cabinet. Vega has been a person of interest in several land scandals.
The newest cabinet listing is as follows: Honorable Dean Barrow as Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and Minister of Natural Resources with Hon. Dr. Carla Barnett as the Minister of State for Finance and Natural Resources; Hon. Patrick Faber as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education (including Science & Technology), Culture, Youth and Sports; Hon. Erwin Contreras as Minister of Economic Development, Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce with Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton as Minister of State for Investment, Trade and Commerce; Hon. Micheal Finnegan as Minister of Housing and Urban Development; Hon. Godwin Hulse as Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and Immigration with Hon. Dr. Omar Figueroa as Minister of State for Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and Hon. Beverly Williams as Minister of State for Immigration; Hon. Manuel Heredia as Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation; Hon. Anthony Martinez as Minister of Human Development, Social Transformation & Poverty Alleviation; Hon. John Saldivar as Minister of Defence; Hon. Rene Montero as Minister of Work; Hon. Edmond Castro as Minister of Transport and NEMO; Hon. Wilfred Elrington as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs with Hon. Elodio Aragon Jr. as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Home Affairs; Hon. Pablo Marin as Minister of Health (NHI, Primary Health Care) with Hon. Dr. Angel Campos as Minister of State for NHI, Primary Health Care; Hon. Hugo Patt as Minister of Labor, Local Government and Rural Development, Public Service, Energy & Public Utilities with Hon. Frank “Papa” Mena as Minister of State for Public Service, Energy & Public Utilities; and Hon. Michael Peyrefitte as Attorney General. CEOs for the different ministries include: Ms. Audrey Wallace as CEO of the Office of the Prime Minister; Mr. Joseph Waight as CEO of the Ministry of Finance; Mrs. Sharon Young CEO of the Ministry of Natural Resources; Mrs. Debbie Domingo as CEO of the Ministry Education (including Science and Technology; Mrs. Adele Catzim-Sanchez as CEO of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports; Mrs. Sharman Yvonne Hyde as CEO of the Ministry of Economic Development; Mrs. Amparo Masson as CEO of the Ministry of Petroleum, Investment, Trade and Commerce; Mr. Denton Belisle as CEO of the Ministry of Urban Development; Mr. Jose Alpuche as CEO for the Ministry of Agriculture; Dr. Percival Cho as CEO for the Ministry of Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development; Mr. Edmund Zuniga as CEO of the Ministry of Immigration; Mr. Yashin Dujon as CEO of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation; Ms. Judith Alpuche as CEO of the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation & Poverty Alleviation; Mr. Felix Enriquez as CEO of the Ministry of Defense; Mr. Errol Gentle as CEO of the Ministry of Works; Mrs. Ruth Meighan as CEO of the Ministry of Transport and NEMO; Mr. Patrick Andrews as CEO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Col. George Lovell as the CEO of the Ministry of Home Affairs; Dr. Ramon Figueroa as CEO of the Ministry of Health; Mr. Kelly Belisle as CEO of the Ministry of Labor, Local Government and Rural Development; Dr. Peter Allen as the CEO of the Ministry of Public Service, Energy & Public Utilities; and Mr. Nigel Hawke as CEO of the office of the Attorney General.