Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock has been officially charged with the extensive responsibilities and portfolios of Prime Minister Godwin Friday.
The shift in leadership was formalized by His Excellency Stanley K. John, KC, Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, acting in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister, the Governor-General authorized the transfer of authority effective from July 5, 2026.
While Honourable St. Claire Leacock already serves as the Minister of National Security, Disaster Management, and Immigration, this temporary appointment grants him oversight of a vast array of additional departments and subjects. This mandate is scheduled to continue until the resumption of duties by Prime Minister Godwin Friday.
The scope of responsibilities transferred to Leacock is exceptionally broad, covering the core functions of the executive branch. According to the official schedule, he is now responsible for the Prime Minister’s Office, the Cabinet Secretariat, and the Co-ordination of Government Business.
In the realm of national finance and economic development, Leacock has assumed control over:
- Finance and Banking, including relations with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.
- Taxation, Currency, and the management of the Public Debt.
- Customs and Excise, Economic Planning, and Private Sector Development.
Furthermore, the Deputy Prime Minister now oversees the nation’s legal and judicial infrastructure, including Legal Affairs, the Law Courts, Registry, and Magistracy. His temporary authority also extends to Electoral Matters and the management of the Citizenship by Investment Programmes.
Beyond policy and finance, the appointment places Leacock in charge of critical administrative permissions, such as Work Permits, Residency, and Alien’s Land Holding Licenses. He has also assumed the Leadership of the House of Assembly and oversight of the Public Service Commission.
This transition comes as PM Friday and MP Brambles’s qualification to sit in parliament is now being questioned in a constitutional battle which began on July 28 in Kingstown.
