Trinidad and Tobago’s president reassigned several ministerial responsibilities. The changes took effect Sept. 30 and were published Friday.
Trinidad and Tobago President Christine Kangaloo reassigned a series of ministerial responsibilities effective Sept. 30, according to a notice published in the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette on Friday, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar under Section 79(1) of the Constitution.
Housing Minister Dr. David Lee gained responsibility for Home Improvement Policy and the Oropune Project, both previously held by Persad-Bissessar, who relinquished those portfolios along with the Housing and Village Improvement Programme, the Government Aided Self Help Housing Programme, Golden Grove Buccoo Limited and the National Commission for Self-Help Limited. Land and Legal Affairs Minister Saddam Hosein took on a broad set of housing, agricultural and state-enterprise responsibilities, including the Government Aided Self Help Housing Programme, the Housing and Village Improvement Programme, Caroni (1975) Limited, the Sugar Manufacturing Company Limited and the Sugar Industry Labour Welfare Committee, the latter transferred from Lee. People, Social Development and Family Services Minister Vandana Mohit gained responsibility for the National Commission for Self-Help Limited.
Defence Minister Wayne Sturge gained responsibility for National Emergency and Disaster Management, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, the National Emblems Committee and the National Mentorship Program, while Homeland Security Minister Roger Alexander took on responsibility for the management of illegal immigrants and deportees, a portfolio Sturge relinquished as part of the same notice. Finance Minister Davendranath Tancoo gained responsibility for the Agricultural Development Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, previously held by Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Ravi Ratiram, who also relinquished responsibility for Hydrographic Surveys, Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Limited and Rincon Development Limited to Hosein. Rural Development and Local Government Minister Khadijah Ameen gained responsibility for insect vector control, transferred from Health Minister Dr. Lackram Bodoe, and Public Utilities Minister Barry Padarath took on responsibility for On the Job Training, a portfolio Tertiary Education and Skills Training Minister Prakash Persad no longer holds. Energy and Energy Industries Minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal relinquished responsibility for TRINTOC Services Limited, which transferred to Hosein alongside Taurus Services Limited.
The notice, published as an extraordinary gazette, did not provide a stated reason for the reassignments. The changes affect administrative responsibility for specific programs and state enterprises rather than ministers’ overall portfolios.
This report is based on information from the Trinidad and Tobago Gazette, Extraordinary notice dated Oct. 2, 2026.