Chang to be sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister today
KINGSTON, Jamaica— Minister of National Security in the 2016-2020 Andrew Holness administration, Dr Horace Chang, is expected to be sworn in today as Jamaica’s Deputy Prime Minister, at King’s House.
The appointment will mean the Jamaica Labour Party’s (JLP) resurrection of the position, which was last held by Dr Kenneth Baugh in the 2007-2011 administration. Dr Baugh was also Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
Other cabinet ministers to be sworn in today should include Dr Nigel Clarke, who will return to the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service; Dr Christopher Tufton, as Minister of Health and Wellness; and former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith.
The early swearing-in of Drs Clarke and Tufton is in response to Prime Minister Holness’ policy to get the economic recovery process moving as quickly as possible, while addressing the COVID-19 crisis.
It is unclear exactly what portfolio Johnson Smith will be assigned today as, while it is possible that she may retain her former portfolio of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, speculation is high that she might be assigned to the turbulent Ministry of Education just ahead of the resumption of schools.
Today’s function will feature the swearing in of Andrew Holness as Prime Minister of Jamaica for a third time since 2011, following the JLP’s 48-15 defeat of the People’s National Party (PNP) last Thursday.
Dr Chang’s political career began in 1976 as an active member of the JLP. In 1980, at the age of 27, he was elected MP for Western Hanover and served that constituency until 1989. He has been Member of Parliament for St James North Western since 2002.
He was made parliamentary secretary in the Ministry of Health between 1980–1986 under the leadership of the late Prime Minister Edward Seaga, and has since served the Bruce Golding administration (2007-2011) as Minister of Housing, Environment, Water and Local Government; and the 2016-2020 JLP administration as a Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation and eventually as Minister of National Security, since March, 2018.
Balford Henry
