The Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda[1] is the executive branch of the government of Antigua and Barbuda. Section 70(1) of the Constitution establishes the Cabinet.[2] The Cabinet is made up of the Prime Minister and as many other Ministers as the Prime Minister deems necessary, one of whom will be the Attorney-General and will be nominated in accordance with section 69 of the Constitution.[2] Only the Prime Minister or, in his absence, the Minister the Prime Minister appoints in that regard, may call the Cabinet to order.[2]

The Governor-General may authorize another member of the Cabinet to perform those functions (other than the functions conferred by subsection (2) of this section) when the Prime Minister is not present in Antigua and Barbuda or is unable to do so due to illness or because of the restrictions of section 73(4) of this Constitution. That member may perform those functions until the Governor-General revokes his authority.[2]

A Secretary to the Cabinet is employed, and their position will be public.  In accordance with any instructions the Prime Minister may give him, the Secretary to the Cabinet, who will be in charge of the Cabinet office, is in charge of organizing the agenda for the Cabinet meetings, maintaining the minutes of those meetings, relaying the decisions made by the Cabinet to the proper parties, among other duties as the Prime Minister may specify. Before beginning his official duties, the Secretary to the Cabinet must take the oath of secrecy and sign it.[2]

Composition

Ministers

The Office of the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda is the meeting place of the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda.

Not every minister serves in the cabinet (the majority of ministers are also members of the cabinet, both currently and historically). With the exception of the Attorney General, every member of the cabinet is a minister. In addition to the office of Prime Minister, there can be such other offices of Minister (including Minister of State) of the Government as may be established by Parliament or, subject to the provisions of any law enacted by Parliament, by the Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. This is subject to the provisions of section 82 of the Constitution and subsection (4) of section 69.[2] The Governor-General, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister, must appoint from among the members of the House and of the Senate those individuals who will serve as Ministers other than the Prime Minister.[2] If parliament is dissolved and a prime minister is required, a person who was a member of the House immediately before a dissolution may be appointed as Prime Minister or any other Minister, and a person who was a member of the Senate immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as any Minister other than Prime Minister.[2] A document bearing the public seal must be used to make appointments.[2]

By issuing written instructions, the Governor-General, acting in accordance with the Prime Minister's recommendation, may delegate to the Prime Minister or any other Minister responsibility for any government operation, including the management of any department. The Governor-General, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, may appoint a member of the House or a Senator to act in the office of such Minister during such absence or illness when a Minister is unable to perform his or her duties because of his or her absence from Antigua and Barbuda or because of illness.[2]

A minister other than the prime minister must resign from their position if they are appointed or reappointed as prime minister, stop serving as a member of the House of Parliament from among the members of which they were appointed, or if the Governor-General, acting on the advice of the prime minister, revokes their appointment.[2] When a Minister other than the Prime Minister is compelled by section 31(2) or section 41 of the Constitution to stop serving in the House to which he belongs, he must also stop serving in any capacity as a Minister at that time.[2]

Before beginning their official duties, the Prime Minister, each other Minister, and each Parliamentary Secretary must take and sign the oaths of office, allegiance, and confidentiality.[2]

Parliamentary secretaries

Parliamentary secretaries support ministers rather than sit in the cabinet. To assist Ministers in carrying out their responsibilities, the Governor-General may choose members of the House and the Senate to serve as Parliamentary Secretaries, acting on the advice of the Prime Minister.[2] A person who was a Senator or a member of the House immediately before the dissolution may be appointed as a Parliamentary Secretary if the need arises to make an appointment under this section while Parliament is suspended.[2] When a member of the House of Representatives from which he was appointed ceases to be a member of the House of Representatives for any reason other than a dissolution of Parliament, when a person is appointed or reappointed as Prime Minister, or when the Governor-General orders it to be vacant on the advice of the Prime Minister.[2]

Permanent secretaries

Rather than serving in the cabinet, permanent secretaries provide support for ministries.[2] When a Minister is given charge of a particular government department, he or she is responsible for exercising direction and control over that department. Subject to this direction and control, the department is overseen by a Permanent Secretary, whose position is a public office.[2] For the purposes of section 78 of the constitution, two or more government departments may be under the direction of one permanent secretary, and any department of government allocated to a minister may be under the direction of two or more permanent secretaries.[2]

Current members

Cabinet[3]
MinistryMinister Notes
Ministry of Finance, Corporate Governance & Public Private Partnerships Gaston Browne Also includes the Office of the Prime Minister, ex officio member of the National Security Council.
Attorney General and Ministry of Legal Affairs, Public Safety, Immigration and Labour Steadroy Benjamin Also responsible for National Security, ex officio member of the National Security Council.
Ministry of Housing, Works, Lands and Urban Renewal Maria Browne Also Minister of State in the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Public Safety and Labour
Ministry of Health, Wellness, Social Transformation and the Environment Molwyn Joseph
Ministry of Education, Creative Industries & Sports Daryll Mathew
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade & Barbuda Affairs Paul Chet Greene
Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Transportation & Investment Charles Fernandez
Ministry of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), Utilities and Energy Melford Walter Nicholas
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Michael Browne

References

  1. ↑ "The Cabinet". Government of Antigua and Barbuda. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 http://laws.gov.ag/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/cap-23.pdf
  3. ↑ "Government of Antigua and Barbuda".

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from documents of the Government of Antigua and Barbuda.

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