The swearing‑in of Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday’s Cabinet at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex today marked a historic political transition for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Following the New Democratic Party’s decisive electoral victory, the new administration has unveiled a Cabinet that both retains traditional functions and introduces several new ministries, signaling a shift in governance priorities.
Among the newly created ministries are Youth, Sports, Culture, and Creative Industries, which elevates the creative sector as a standalone priority; Education, Vocational Training, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, which broadens education to include digital policy and innovation; Social Welfare and Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage, which integrates disaster preparedness with heritage preservation; Higher Education, Grenadines Affairs, Local Government, Airports, and Seaports, which combines higher education with Grenadines development and transport hubs; Tourism and Maritime Affairs, which shifts tourism to include maritime development; and Health and Wellness, and Energy, which expands health to encompass energy policy.
Several portfolios have been restructured to sharpen their focus. Housing, Urban Development, Land Management, and Informal Settlement Upgrading now emphasize urban planning and settlement upgrading.
Family, Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities, Occupational Safety, and Labour expands social protection to include disability rights and workplace safety. Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Diaspora Affairs now formally incorporate diaspora relations, while Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Transformation has been streamlined to emphasize rural transformation.
The restructuring reflects Dr. Friday’s campaign promises to modernize governance and deliver tangible relief to citizens.
By introducing portfolios in creative industries, digital transformation, diaspora affairs, disaster management, maritime affairs, and energy, the administration has signaled a deliberate pivot toward innovation, resilience, and global engagement.