Free National Movement (FNM) Leader Dr. Hubert Minnis announced yesterday that he has appointed a shadow Cabinet on behalf of the Official Opposition.
Each of these appointees will have primary responsibility to speak in the House of Assembly or the Senate on their areas of designated portfolio responsibility on behalf of the Opposition, the FNM said in a statement.
It noted that the duty of a shadow minister is to shadow and keep track of all the policy initiatives, actions and defaults of the substantive Cabinet minister, to advance alternative policy or principled arguments on behalf of the Opposition and the Bahamian people, and to assist the leader of the Opposition in efforts to regain the government.
The statement noted that the shadow Cabinet is an established feature of the Westminster system of parliamentary democracy, and flows from the constitutional authority of the leader of the Opposition in Parliament to be prepared at a moment's notice to form a new government, should the occasion arise.
Shadow Cabinet
Dr. Hubert Minnis- Shadow minister of national security and health
Loretta Butler-Turner - Shadow minister of social services and national insurance
Neko Grant - Shadow minister of works and urban development
Desmond Bannister - Shadow minister of education, science and technology
Zhivargo Laing- Shadow minister of finance and financial services
Edison Key- Shadow minister of agriculture, marine resources and local government
Hubert Chipman- Shadow minister of foreign affairs and immigration
Peter Turnquest- Shadow minister of Grand Bahama
Richard Lightbourn- Shadow attorney general/minister of legal affairs
Theo Neilly- Shadow minister of tourism, transport and aviation
Kwasi Thompson- Shadow minister of environment and housing
Heather Hunt - Shadow minister of youth, sports and culture
Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian