ST JOHN'S, Antigua (CMC):

Former Finance Minister Errol Cort has been included in a newly configured Cabinet team announced by Prime Minister Baldwin Spencer on Monday, following last week's United Progressive Party (UPP) victory at the polls.

Cort, who lost his seat in the March 12 general election, has been brought back into the Cabinet by way of the Senate and has been given responsibility for the national security portfolio.

Taking over the finance ministry portfolio from him will be former Tourism Minister Harold Lovell, who also has added responsibility for the economy and public administration, while former Health Minister John Maginley will take charge of the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture.

The nine-member team that was sworn in Monday evening reflects the mandate given to the UPP to govern for a second straight term and, is therefore, much smaller than the first-term Spencer Cabinet, which at one point boasted nearly 20 members.

Some challenges

Apart from Cort, who was defeated by the leader of the Antigua Labour Party (ALP) Lester Bird, all other members of cabinet were successful candidates in Thursday's poll in which the UPP claimed nine seats and the opposition ALP seven.

The prime minister said the reduced margin that his party secured posed a few challenges for him in composing the team that will govern the affairs of this twin-island nation.

"As could be understood, the situation was very critical and because of the narrow margin of victory, it did present some challenges in terms of my being able to have enough options at my disposal," said Spencer, who will also have responsibility for foreign affairs and public utilities.

The lone seat on Barbuda was won by Trevor Walker of the UPP-aligned Barbuda People's Movement, who is the new Minister of Works, Transport and Labour. Willmoth Daniel is the new Minister of Health, Social Transformation and Consumer Affairs and Jacqui Quinn-Leandro the new Minister of Education, Sports, Youth and Gender Affairs, while Hilson Baptiste has been given responsibility for Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment.