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That's a tall order to fill - and here's who he says can fit the bill:..

Jules Vasquez reporting
When the new ministers came walking into the NEMO conference room, onlookers saw more than a few strange faces - and that's because the PM went in a most unusual direction when choosing his senator-ministers:

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"I had two options: to go the traditional route and to look for tried and true UDP party activists and make them senators and ministers or to go the route of looking for the best talent, the best brain power, the best expertise that would be available to me so that I could form a cabinet that could be seen by all the people of this country as reflecting an effort to harness all of the skills available to UDP in order to produce the best government possible."

And those Senator Ministers are these four - Lisel Alamilla, of the Yaaxche Conservation Trust, Godwin Hulse, formerly a senator for the business sector, Joy Grant, formerly ambassador to the European Union and David Gibson, former CEO in the Ministry of Public Service.

They are now all UDP senators and join a cabinet led by seasoned, veteran politicians:

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The ministry of finance will become the ministry of finance and economic development. So, I would be minister of finance and economic development, and assisting me with particular responsibility for the economic development aspect of the portfolio would be the Hon. Santiago Santino Castillo Jr."

"He will be in charge of capital budget preparation in management economic development planning/public sector investment program planning/development finance institutions and multilateral financing agencies, DFC, SIF and the statistical institute of Belize."

"The old economic development ministry now becomes the ministry of trade, investment, private sector development and consumer protection."

"I am going to give you some idea of the subject areas, but what I am telling you isn't final. In essence, what I am telling you will remain intact but there may be some tweaking here and there."

"That ministry of trade/investment/private sector development and consumer protection will now include foreign trade and investment promotion/international trade negotiations/industrial and commercial development/Beltraide/small business/gaming and all the consumer protection functions, the bureau of standards, consumer protection, fair competition/supplies and price control/rates and measures/free zone and the export processing zones. The minister of trade/investment/private sector development and consumer protection is going to be Hon. Erwin Rafael Contreras."

"The former ministry of natural resources becomes the ministry of natural resources and agriculture. Some of the old subject areas in the previous ministry of natural resources are going to new ministries. What remains is in terms of natural resources, lands and land management, mining, land surveys, physical planning, hydrology, solid waste management and added to that is the ministry of agriculture. The minister of natural resources and agriculture will be the Deputy Prime Minister Hon. Gaspar Vega and he will be assisted by Hon. Hugo Patt as minister of state with particular responsibility for agriculture."

"There will be a new ministry of forestry/fisheries/sustainable development and indigenous peoples. That ministry will include the subject areas of forestry, protected areas and reserves, PACT, climate change environment, fisheries, coastal zone management authority and the looking after the relations with indigenous peoples. The ministry of forestry/fisheries/sustainable development and indigenous peoples will be Senator Hon. Lisel Alamilla."

"There is going to be a new ministry of energy/science and technology and public utilities and under that ministry will be geology and petroleum, electricity, gas, solar, research and development, science education, public utilities including the public utilities commission, water industry, telecommunications and energy. The minister of energy/science and technology and public utilities will be Senator Hon. Joy Grant."

"The Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs is Hon. Wilfred "Sedi" Elrington."

"We have again combined police and defense in a Ministry of Natural Security. The new minister of national security is Hon. John Saldivar. He will be assisted by minister of state Elvin Penner who will have particular responsibility for immigration and border protection and the immigration department."

"The ministry of housing with urban development remains the same and the minister of housing and urban development remains the same; Hon. Michael Finnegan."

"The minister in the ministry of works and transport will be Hon. Rene Montero, and he will be assisted by a minister of state who will have full responsibility practically for transport and that minister of state with responsibility for transport is Hon. Edmund Castro."

"The ministry of tourism/culture and civil aviation now becomes the ministry of tourism and culture and the minister remains the same; Hon. Manuel Heredia Jr."

"The ministry of health remains the same and the minister remains the same; Hon. Pablo Marin."

"The next ministry is the ministry of labor/local government/rural development and NEMO and I am pleased to introduce the new minister of labor/local government/rural development and NEMO senator Hon. Godwin Hulse."

"Next is the ministry of the public service/elections and boundaries, and I am pleased to introduce the new minister of the public service/elections and boundaries: senator Hon. Charles Gibson."

"There is a new ministry of human development/social transformation/poverty alleviation and the new minister is Hon. Boots "poor people governor" Martinez. He will be assisted in that ministry by Hon. Mark King who will have particular responsibility for the conscious youth development program and the gang truce program."

"Then there is the ministry of education/youth and sports. The minister of education/youth and sports is of course Hon. Patrick Faber. He will be assisted by a minister of state with responsibility for both youth and sports Hon. Herman Longsworth."

"Am I forgetting anyone or anything? Is that fifteen, Jules? Alright."

"CEOs, let me just go with what I have and say who will be appointed subject to of course to contractual business being sorted out. In the ministry of finance and economic development, of course remember that I also have the office of the Prime Minister and that will continue to be coordinated by CEO Audrey Wallace."

"Under the office of the Prime Minister which is not a separate ministry, there is responsibility for cabinet, inter-ministerial coordination, information, broadcasting and the press offices, parliamentary matters, restore Belize, economic development council (now called business forum), special projects and the national honors and awards."

And so how will this Cabinet of politicians and glossy civil society, and professional types work with each other?

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The fact that Godwin throughout the years has been a stern monitor, has been a kind of invigilator on behalf of the society, has been a watchdog, doesn't mean that he ever moved away from his UDP roots and his UDP support. He has been a sort of man for all seasons; in agriculture, with the chamber, all over the map. But one thing that has been constant has been the fact that Godwin is UDP. He was before the business senator, he is not going back into the cabinet as the business senator, he is going back into the senate as UDP government for business and as a UDP senator. We expect, and that is one of the reasons he has ask to join government that he will bring to the table in cabinet his same fierce anti-corruption position. We embrace that. Jules I am telling you that there is going to be some push back in terms of the appointments that have been made."

"I am happy that all my elected colleagues support those appointments but there are going to be people in my party who will say "what happen to me, what happen to so and so?" I am determined that this is to be a government that is going to be the best administration this country has ever seen and that is why I am reached out to people like Godwin, Lisel, Joy Grant and Charles Gibson, all persons of the greatest possible integrity."

"Surely, since this is unperrel of the backlash that I will get from supporters of my own party. Surely though the larger society will be comforted and will recognize that this next UDP government is all together serious about doing the right thing for the people of this country."

"They are at bottom UDPs, their elected colleagues welcome them as such and we will proceed together to work in path of UDP righteousness."

Jules Vasquez
"So then it can be said that you are grateful for the opportunity of having to appoint four senators as ministers which comes as a consequence of almost losing the election."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Short answer. Yes."

Jules Vasquez
"There is certain venal pursuits which occupy people who have to get re-elected because government at a certain point is a business. Regrettable though it may be. Are you able to balance the interplay of those who need not pursue nor tolerate such pursuits as oppose to those who must because they have a constituency that requires servicing."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Look man, it's like what Godwin said. He understands there is a political bottom-line and he understands that all of us in the cabinet who are supporting the UDP must serve that political bottom-line. But the political bottom-line need not be corrupt."

"Jules, it's a matter of balance in practice, recognizing the reality of which you spoke but also being determined that none of us ought to come loose from moorings in terms of the requirement to as far as is possible maintain the public trust, not to abuse office, as far as is possible to be honest and accountable and open. I am perfectly satisfied that while it will not be a walk in the park, we can and will do this."

A few notes, that didn't make it into the story: The Speaker of the House will be attorney Mike Peyrefitte, whose bullish style is sure to contrast sharply with the style of his unruffled predecessor Emile Arguelles.

The leader of Government Business in the Senate will be Godwin Hulse who replaces Doug Singh - the former police minister who will no longer be either Senator or Minister.

The President of the Senate will be former UDP Orange Walk South Standard Bearer, Marco Pech. The first ceremonial house meeting will be held a week from tomorrow.