PRIME Minister Bruce Golding was, up to late yesterday, keeping the names of members of his Cabinet close to his chest, as up to the end of his swearing-in ceremony at King’s House telephone calls usually made to ‘prospective members’ of the executive had apparently not come.

However, sources told the Observer that on the eve of his swearing-in, Golding made a few calls, “asking for opinions”, but no promises, nor commitments were made.

On Monday, the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP’s) information spokesman Dwight Nelson said he expected that consultations with prospective Cabinet minister would be made after yesterday’s ceremony.

Some senior members of the JLP, up to late Monday and again after the King’s House ceremony said they had not been called. Others said they “preferred not to go there”.

However, several influential sources said the new prime minister should keep the finance portfolio for himself, and believe that Olivia ‘Babsy’ Grange will be in the Cabinet.

They said, too, that the speaker will come from either Pearnel Charles (the prime minister’s brother-in-law); Lester ‘Mike’ Henry; or long-time spokesman on national security, Derrick Smith.

Should Smith be made speaker, it is expected that former police commissioner Trevor MacMillan could be made national security minister from the Senate.

Several sources who spoke to the Observer at King’s House yesterday said Shirley Williams was likely to get a Cabinet appointment ahead of Shahine Robinson.