United Democratic Party announces revised Shadow Cabinet

Published by BBNTEAM at April 7, 2022

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Posted: Thursday, April 7, 2022. 2:25 pm CST.

By Aaron Humes: Leader of the Opposition United Democratic Party, Moses “Shyne” Barrow, has announced a slate of 19 names to be part of the ‘Shadow Cabinet’ – frontbenchers assigned to shadow the respective Government Ministries and offer the Opposition’s positions.

All are familiar faces and supporters of the Opposition, either within Parliament, as standard bearers and candidates, or appointed under the previous Government to positions within the Government or on statutory bodies and agencies.

Barrow shadows Prime Minister John Briceño in Finance, Economic Development & Investment while deputy Hugo Patt retains his shadow portfolios of Natural Resources, Petroleum, Mining, Agriculture, Food Security, & Enterprise.

While defeated rival Tracy Panton takes on the familiar portfolios of Tourism, Diaspora Affairs, and Religious Affairs, neither former leader Patrick Faber nor Queen’s Square representative Denise Barrow – the party leader’s aunt – are named to the Cabinet.

Among incumbent senators, Michael Peyrefitte has National Security (Home Affairs); Beverly Williams is in charge of Immigration and Tony Herrera shadows New Growth Industries & Civil Aviation. As previously announced by the party leader, former Senators Darrell Bradley (Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Investment) and Sheena Pitts (Attorney General) hold significant portfolios.

Former Government Ministers Dr. Angel Campos (of state, assigned to Health & Wellness; assisted by Pablo Marin) and Dr. Omar Figueroa (Sustainable Development, Climate Change & Disaster Risk Management) as well as a former Senator (Macario Coy: Culture, Indigenous People’s Affairs) appear on the list as well.

Rounding out the list are several former standard-bearers and expected caretakers of their divisions (Dianne Finnegan: Human Development & Families; Denny Grijalva: Infrastructure Development & Housing; Orson Elrington: Public Service, Elections & Boundaries and Political Reform; Melvin Hewlett: Public Utilities & Logistics and Ivan Williams: Rural Transformation, Community Development, Local Government); former Belmopan councilor, deputy mayor and mayoral candidate Jacklyn Burns in the portfolios of Education, Science & Technology; former chairman of the Elections and Boundaries Commission Steve Perrera assigned to The Blue Economy and former chairman of the National Sports Council (NSC) Ian Jones shadowing Youth & Sports.

As with John Briceño’s composed Shadow Cabinet a few years ago, this is not expected to be a preview of a potential UDP Cabinet should they form the government in a future election.

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