President Ali still searching for Finance Minister

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Wednesday appointed his new Cabinet without an appointee to serve within the very important Ministry of Finance as the Finance Minister.

The absence of such an important portfolio did not go unnoticed with President Ali being called upon by the media for an explanation.

He would only say that he was still searching for a candidate to fill the post of Finance Minister.

“We are still looking for a potential candidate,” President Ali said.

Asked whether he was considering Dr Ashni Singh for the post, President Ali said he has reached out to no one in relation to heading the Ministry of Finance.

Dr Singh served as the Finance Minister in the PPP government for several years before it lost the 2015 elections.

“We are looking at a lot of variables, we are still in the search mode, I cannot confirm for you any individual because we have not identified an individual yet,” President Ali added.

Dr Ali explained that the Office of the President will be assuming responsibility for financial matters until a Minister is found.

“With the skills that we have in the Office of the President with the former President [Bharrat Jagdeo] we are hoping to move quickly with issues at the financial level,” the President said in brief comments after appointing his cabinet.

He said his Government has already begun an assessment of the economy in its push to prepare its first budget.

“That assessment is ongoing and what we’ve found is alarming,” he added.