KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister without portfolio, Derrick Smith, is in charge of the daily routine operations of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).

Prime Minister Andrew Holness made the clarification yesterday, regarding whether Smith officially operated out of the OPM or the newly created Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, which also operates out of Jamaica House.

“There are matters which I don’t have to get involved with directly. Once we have set the policy, he can see to the implementation, give oversight and make sure that implementation is aligned with policy. He has a ministerial oversight function,” Holness told the Jamaica Observer in a one-on-one interview at Jamaica House, yesterday.

He said that Smith also handles daily defence issues, as well as government information, government archives and the public sector transformation programme.

He pointed out that he is the minister of economic growth and job creation, which also has two other Cabinet ministers, in ministers without portfolio Dr Horace Chang and Daryl Vaz, and a minister of State in Everald Warmington.

Holness pointed out that Chang is in charge of water and housing issues, while Vaz handles investments and Warmington handles works.

Balford Henry