Trinidad & Tobago sacks cabinet member over Ghanaian citizenship

A former Managing director of HFC Bank who took up a post as a cabinet minister in The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has been sacked from cabinet over his Ghanaian citizenship, Starr News has learnt.

A statement announcing Robert Le Hunte’s removal from cabinet said “It has come to the attention of the Honourable Prime Minister that Mr Robert Le Hunte is a citizen of Ghana and, accordingly, he is not qualified under section 42(1) of the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to be appointed as a Senator. Accordingly, the Honourable Prime Minister has so informed the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago”.

It, however, added: “Mr Le Hunte will be rectifying his position and once this is done, the Honourable Prime Minister will appoint him as a Senator and as Minister of Public Utilities. Under these circumstances, until the matter is rectified, the Honourable Prime Minister will assume the portfolio of Minister of Public Utilities. It is expected that this situation will be rectified by Friday, 1 September 2017.”

Le Hunte was sworn in last Thursday, becoming the country’s fifth Minister of Public Utilities since the People’s National Movement took office in September 2015. He took over the portfolio Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley held since June this year after he fired the previous minister Marlene McDonald.

Le Hunte had been an executive director at HFC Bank Ghana Limited since April 2013 and its executive director of risk management until April 2015. He was then managing director from April 2015 to August 21, 2017.