Minister of Works and Infrastructure, Jearlean John, said she’s “grateful” for the opportunity to be chosen as Acting Prime Minister.
On Tuesday, the Office of the Prime Minister announced that Minister John was selected to act in the post when Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar leaves on Thursday for the UN General Assembly in New York.
Speaking to reporters, Minister John said she was surprised by the move.
“I was very still. I think she and all was wondering if I had a pulse. But, as I said, I’m very grateful that hard work is recognised and basically it is with humility and real thankfulness and I will just continue to work hard. I’m a very quiet person when it comes to my work. The UNC has a deep bench of talent. We have a lot of talented people. We have a lot of hard-working people. Ten years in opposition wasn’t easy. It was not a one-man show. It was a few of us who pulled together under the Prime Minister’s leadership to get us into government so she had any number of choices to make. I’m really very humbled to serve my country.”
Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar also defended the move, noting that she believes Minister John will do a “great job.”
“She’s a very hard-working, diligent person. I think not just the Cabinet, but the nation has great respect for Minister John, and she’ll do a great job. She’ll have no qualms about it, no doubts or anything. The one thing I told her is, ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.'”