BY THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
11 June 2022, Rajagriha: Prime Minister Farhaz Hazarika reshuffled and expanded his cabinet this morning by dropping two sitting cabinet ministers and inducting two new faces while promoting one. A probable cabinet reshuffle was on the cards as indicated by Rashtradhyaksh Dhrubajyoti Roy a few days ago but it was believed that both the Rashtradhyaksh and the Prime Minister were looking for a much auspicious date for the cabinet reshuffle.
Prime Minister dropped two of his sitting ministers - Princess Bishakha, the Minister of Royal Household Affairs and Social Welfare; and William Cooper, the Minister of Culture, Citizenship and Immigration. It is believed that Cooper was sacked for his lack of performance in his assigned duties and lack of attention to work, whereas Bishakha who is a first cousin of Rashtradhyaksh Dhrubajyoti Roy is believed to take up some duties in Purvanchal either in the state government or the royal family. With this the cabinet lost its lone female representative.
Among the new ministers include Rafe Burfield who has been promoted as a cabinet minister has been a part of the cabinet since May this year and is said to have been promoted for his performance as Minister of State in the External Affairs, Arthur Lacey-Scott who recently resigned as a privy councilor and has been working on the parliamentary rules has been inducted as a cabinet minister. Whereas Andrew Brotherton made his first innings in the cabinet after being inducted as a minister of state.
The new cabinet:
Rafe Burfield: Minister of Culture and Minister in the Prime Minister's Office
Arthur Lacey-Scott: Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Law and Justice
Andrew Brotherton: Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Health, Citizen's Welfare and Population
In addition, the portfolios of almost all sitting ministers were changed with some gaining while some losing important ministries. Prime Minister Hazarika retained his charge in the Home Ministry but was reduced of his charge in the Ministry of Information and Public Relations which went to his deputy, Rory McPhail while the Ministry of Minority Welfare was merged with the Ministry of Religious Affairs. He now handles the charge of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs.
Deputy Prime Minister Rory McPhail retained the powerful defence ministry and took over the charge of the ministry of information and public relations. Earlier, he handled the Law and Justice ministry which has now been allotted to Arthur Lacey-Scott. The Ministries of Local Administration and Interstate Cooperation has been reformed into the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Administration which has been handed over to Senior Minister Prince Abhiraj.
Finance Minister Matthew Tonna who also handled the Parliamentary Affairs ministry, now is the new Religious Affairs and Minority Welfare Minister in addition to the finance portfolio. Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Liam Alexander was given the additional charge of the Social Welfare portfolio. Kevin Doan who was the Minister of State (Independent charge) for E-communications and Interconnectedness is the new Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Communications and Media.
Ahead of the cabinet reshuffle, a gazette notification was published yesterday reforming certain ministries with the creation of newer departments, etc. In an interesting move, under the Social Welfare ministry, the Department of Welfare of Transgenders and LGBT people was created.