Prime Minister Gaston Browne says members of the Tenders Board will soon be rotated as part of his wider plan to strengthen governance and ensure no public officer becomes too comfortable in positions of oversight.
Speaking on the Browne and Browne Show, Browne said the reform is intended to maintain balance and prevent complacency in key institutions. “The Tenders Board, for example, I’m going to rotate the people serving the Tenders Board too. They must not get comfortable,” he said. “I’m not saying that we have any evidence of them doing anything wrong now. But, again, I don’t want anybody to feel too comfortable that they can do as they like.”
Browne emphasized that the move was not a disciplinary action but part of a broader restructuring designed to keep the public service dynamic and transparent. He said rotation policies would extend to other departments and statutory bodies to give new officers opportunities for advancement and to minimize the risk of institutional capture.
“I even told senior officials like Diane Black-Layne at the Department of Environment that they too would be rotated,” Browne added. “We have to provide an opportunity for others to grow and develop too, even within my own Cabinet.”
The prime minister’s comments align with his broader “national reset” initiative announced in the wake of the government vehicle procurement controversy. The reset includes reforms to the Treasury, Public Works Department, and procurement systems to improve accountability.
Browne said the government’s aim is to maintain public trust by creating a culture of rotation and renewal across leadership positions. “We need some balance, and I’m going to ensure that there’s balance,” he said. “What I want to ensure is that this government, this country, is governed better.”
