Newly appointed members of Saint Lucia’s Cabinet of Ministers began a formal orientation process on Monday, just days after being sworn in last Friday, as the government moves to ensure a smooth and coordinated start to the new administration.
The orientation, led by Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre and the Cabinet Secretary, is designed to familiarize ministers with established Cabinet procedures, governance protocols, and the responsibilities that come with holding ministerial office. It also sets out the standards and expectations required for effective leadership and collective decision-making within Cabinet.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Tourism, Culture and Commerce, Dr Ernest Hilaire, explained that the process is a critical step in preparing new ministers for their roles ahead of the first official Cabinet meeting. “So we meet today, the new Cabinet members being given their orientation right now in terms of Cabinet procedures, in terms of the expectations of them as ministers,” Dr Hilaire said. “So you can imagine the first Cabinet meeting, so they’ve been thoroughly oriented now by the Prime Minister and by the Cabinet Secretary, and they will, in a sense, get an understanding of what’s expected of them as Cabinet ministers.”
The session covers key areas such as Cabinet confidentiality, collective responsibility, policy development, and inter-ministerial coordination. It also allows new ministers to engage directly with senior officials and clarify operational matters before formally taking on their portfolios.
The orientation marks the first official working engagement for several newly appointed ministers following last Friday’s Cabinet announcement and signals the administration’s intention to move swiftly into active governance as it begins the new term.
