Sit back and see how to run a govt, Kamla

I say minor because in the People’s Partnership reign there were massive reshuffles.

As the previous prime minister, Persad-Bissessar was the conductor of musical chairs.

She made so many changes to her Cabinet people began to question her competence as a leader to select people of talent.

Not once did we know why a minister was replaced. Now she has the temerity to “select” people, such as National Security Minister Edmund Dillon and Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh, for removal. Is she for real? I know if she were in power she would have fired ministers left, right and centre like a bull in a china shop.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley gives his ministers a chance to redeem themselves.

But then how do we know when a minister is performing or not. I would like both Persad-Bissessar and Rowley to tell the nation what are the criteria of an effective minister.

Dr Winsford James, political analyst, has said that Rowley’s Cabinet is mostly invisible.

Does he want every minister to have his or her 15 minutes of fame on national TV? What is wrong with these people? If Rowley gets a monthly report of the operation of each ministry on his desk, that’s fine with me. All I want is each ministry to communicate to the population on a need-to-know basis.

We need to know who are the contractors building our roads.

We need to know how many Housing Development Corporation houses are unoccupied? We need to know what foreign contractor has submitted a bid to complete the San Fernando to Point Fortin highway? We need to know what the Health Ministry is doing to identify those areas which are Zika-free or Zika-infested.

Everyone of us needs to know about issuses which have a direct impact on us. If this information is not forthcoming from each ministry, then and only then could we say a minister is not performing.

So, Rowley must continue to monitor every minister continuously.

He must let each minister be approachable to get important information in the public’s interest. Then we can say who is performing or not.

The views of the Opposition are designed to distract the population. Persad-Bissessar had a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Now she must sit back and watch how to run a government effectively, not like a village council where meetings are held in private homes.

JOHN JESSAMY Fyzabad