Marlene McDonald to be Appointed a Minister in the Ministry of Public Administration and Communications

The Prime Minister, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, today advised the President, His Excellency Anthony Carmona to appoint the Honourable Ms. Marlene McDonald as a Minister in the Ministry of Public Administration and Communications, where she will assist the Prime Minister who continues to hold the portfolio which he assumed since the substantive minister, the Honourable Maxie Cuffie, fell ill a few months ago.

In making the appointment the Prime Minister said “Ms. McDonald can make a valuable contribution to the ministry and I am confident that she will meritoriously perform the duties required as a minister in the ministry”.

Ms. McDonald, in accepting the appointment, pledged to dedicate herself to the business of the ministry and said that she was “committed and motivated to perform”.

She will be sworn in at 1:30 pm today, March 1^st, at the Office of the President.

Ms. McDonald was first elected to the House of Representatives as the Member for Port-of-Spain South on November 5, 2007, at which time she was appointed Minister of Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs.

From 2010 to 2015 she served in Opposition as the Chief Whip.

Ms. Marlene McDonald was re-elected to the House of Representatives of the 11th Parliament on September 7, 2015. Four days later she was appointed Minister of Housing and Urban Development, a position she held until March 17, 2016.

She was then appointed Minister of Public Utilities from June 30^th 2017, a position she held until July 1^st 2017.  Ms. McDonald is an experienced parliamentarian and her contribution to the ministry is welcomed.