Last week we reported on the sudden shift in the Department of Immigration - where Director Ruth Meighan was quite suddenly removed. Her minister, Godwin Hulse said he would have wished that she could stay on - as they had worked closely together. In a way, that seemed to offer some validation to the rumour that his Minister of State Penner had her pushed out. Today we asked the Prime Minister, was she indeed pushed? Here's what he had to say:..
Jules Vasquez
"Sir, will Honorable Elvin Penner become the full Minister of Immigration? He remains Minister of State. I understand that a Cabinet decision was taken to transfer Ruth Meighan the director. Was that a decision because of his dissatisfaction with her?"
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"No sir, there is a lady Mrs. Castillo who has resigned from the service. She used to be Commissioner of GST I believe and she had occupied a particular sort of head of unit position in the Ministry of Finance. Her resignation has left that position open. It appears to us that Mrs. Meighan is well qualified, so that's the reason for that lateral transferred."
Jules Vasquez
"But long have we heard that the Minister of State and the former director had differences and fundamentally it came down to the fact that he had been stripped of his power. Will some of his powers be restored?"
Prime Minister Dean Barrow
"You are asking me to comment on hearsay. I can't do that. I am telling you what has triggered the lateral move of Mrs. Meighan and I will leave it at that."
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