Ministers enthused about their new roles

The appointment of Dame Jennifer Smith as Minister of Education sparked spontaneous cheers and applause at Government House.

She told the Bermuda Sun: “I feel re-energized because of this Premier and this group of people.

“I am looking forward to taking on the challenges that lie ahead.”

Terry Lister, the new Transport Minister, said he was “ready to go to work… I am excited to be given this opportunity in the Transport Ministry.

“There are a lot of good things going on there at the moment. I am hopeful we can make some progress with the taxi industry and want to make sure that we continue to have cost effective air travel to Bermuda.

“There are also areas of Marine and Ports that I will be looking at.”

Minister for Economy, Trade and Business Kim Wilson will oversee work permits as part of her new role.

She said: “This is something new for me. It’s a bittersweet feeling because I very much enjoyed the Attorney General’s role.

“One of the main areas I will be looking at to start off with will be work permits — there are a lot of business interests and concerns in respect to time limits.

“It is going to be about striking the right balance.”

Her successor as Attorney General, Michael Scott, described the Premier’s leadership as a “re-affirmation of solid PLP values”.

He added: “One of the first things that has struck me about this government is the strength and competitive undertones of the team.

“That will make us deliver and perform to a high level. This role is a very important spoke in the wheel in terms of supporting the delivery of our overall policy.

“My approach will be to ensure the legislative policy is in line with the national policy.”

New Environment Minster Walter Roban said he was “excited” about the challenges that lay ahead in his new ministry.

He added: “I am already aware of some of the areas that I’ll need to be looking at, like the streamlining of planning and sustainable development

“The environment is about the long term and looking to the future — I intend to continue a lot of the good work that is already going on.”