MONTEGO BAY, St James – Western Jamaica has reacted with mixed feelings about Prime Minister Simpson Miller’s 14-member Cabinet, with some suggesting that it was an interim administration before early general elections, and others hailing it for its promise of continuity.

Political commentator and Observer columnist Lloyd B Smith, who had made no secret of his support for Simpson Miller during the People’s National Party (PNP) presidential campaign, concluded she was going for elections soon.

“The public had wanted her to draw some blood – in other words, put some of her major detractors to the back bench. She has not done it. She has kept most, if not all of them, apart from K D Knight who decided to resign,” Smith told the Sunday Observer. “My belief is that she is now really trying to unify the party, because, unless the party is a unified force, she cannot face the next general election comfortably.”

Smith argued that some of the government ministers’ appointments were geared towards party unity, necessary if the party was to secure a historic fifth term when the prime minister decides to seek a national mandate at the polls.

“Clearly, this Cabinet is an interim Cabinet and gives the very, very distinct impression that she intends to call an early election,” said Smith, who is editor of the Western Mirror newspaper. He also commended the prime minister for “decreasing the size” of the Cabinet from 17.

“I think that is one good sign that she wants a lean and mean Cabinet as against providing jobs for the boys as was previously perceived,” he said.

President of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Horace Peterkin, also argued that the prime minister might have retained some ministers as a tactical move aimed at preparation for an early general election, but expressed disappointment at the appointment of some of the previous government ministers to the Simpson Miller Cabinet.

“I thought she might have been a little more radical. I actually expected to see more fundamental changes,” said Peterkin. “I assume this is an interim Cabinet until after the elections. If she wins she will probably make more changes.”

The JHTA head was, however, swift to guarantee his association’s fullest support and co-operation with the Simpson Miller-led Cabinet.

Similarly, president of the Negril Chamber of Commerce , Wayne Cummings, pledged his chamber’s continued support of the government as he expressed confidence in the Simpson Miller administration.

“I feel very confident that Mrs Portia Simpson Miller is going to be such a positive in Jamaica that no matter how she changes her Cabinet she is going to inspire all Jamaica,” said Cummings. “We are going to be working with anybody that she sees fit to make up her Cabinet.”

Cummings added: “I think it is clear that the fiscal policies will be stable… The concept of belief in self, I think that is what Portia Simpson Miller represents. I think that is where you are now going to see Jamaicans being engaged in the political and daily life of the country.

“I wish them all the best. I think that there is a lot of work at hand. I heard her say there will be no holidays and I don’t believe she will be allowed any. We just have to put all of our collective forces together and make the business of business continue to be successful.”

Mark Kerr Jarrett, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry, voiced a similar level of confidence in Prime Minister Simpson Miller.

“I trust her judgement,” he said. “At a first glance it looks like a very, very reasonable Cabinet. They have our full support because we have to work together to build this nation”.

Kerr Jarrett also supported the prime minister’s decision not to make sweeping changes to the Cabinet, saying: “I believe in continuation. I don’t believe it is wise to change horses in midstream.”

In the new Cabinet, Simpson Miller has retained the Sports portfolio from her previous responsibility in the Cabinet of P J Patterson and has added Women’s Affairs to her new responsibilities. The ministry of defence is always the purview of the prime minister, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the army.

The other Cabinet members are:

. Robert Pickersgill – Housing, Transport and Works

. Dr Omar Davies – Finance and Planning

. Dr Peter Phillips – National Security and Leader of Government Business in the House of Representatives

. Maxine Henry-Wilson – Education and Youth

. Roger Clarke – Agriculture and Land

. A J Nicholson – Attorney-General, Justice and Leader of Government Business in the Senate

. Dean Peart – Local Government and Environment

. Phillip Paulwell – Industry, Commerce, Science and Technology (with Energy)

. Anthony Hylton – Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade

. Aloun Assamba – Tourism, Entertainment and Culture

. Horace Dalley – Health

. Derrick Kellier – Labour and Social Security, and

. Colin Campbell – Information and Development.

Campbell and Hylton, who are not members of parliament, were appointed senators in order to be given Cabinet portfolios. Assamba lost the industry portfolio to Paulwell, but picked up culture, which was sliced off from Henry-Wilson, and Dalley was shifted from labour and social security to health, and his old job given to Cabinet new-comer, Kellier.