**The Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham
Prime Minister**
The Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham read the Oath of Office and was sworn in as Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas by the Governor General, His Excellency Arthur D. Hanna, at Government House on Friday, May 4, 2007 following General Elections held on May 2. In presenting the instrument of appointment, the Governor General effectively authorised the formation of the new **Government of The Bahamas.**
Since that time, the Prime Minister has appointed 20 Ministers, including 8 Ministers of State:
The Hon. Carl Wilshire Zachary Bethel, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Education, Youth, Sports & Culture**
The Hon. Lawrence “Larry” Sheldon Cartwright, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Agriculture & Marine Resources**
The Hon. Sidney Collie. M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Lands & Local Government**
The Hon. Earl Da’Costa Deveaux, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Works & Transport**
The Hon. Neko Carlson Grant, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Tourism & Aviation**
Sen. the Hon. Dion Foulkes
**Minister of Maritime Affairs & Labour**
Sen. The Hon. Claire L. Hepburn
**Minister of Legal Affairs & Attorney General**
The Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham, M.P.-Elect
**Prime Minister & Minister of Finance**
The Hon. Hubert Alexander Minnis, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Health & Social Development**
The Hon. A. Kenneth Russell, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of Housing & National Insurance**
The Hon. Theodore Brent Symonette, M.P.-Elect
**Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs**
The Hon. Orville A.T. “Tommy” Turnquest, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of National Security & Immigration**
**(Ministers of State)**
The Hon. Thomas Desmond Bannister, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State in the Ministry of Legal Affairs**
The Hon. Loretta Butler Turner, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State for Social Development**
Sen. The Hon. Elma Elaine Campbell
**Minister of State for Immigration**
The Hon. Zhivargo Sean Laing, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State for Finance**
The Hon. Charles Maynard, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State for Culture**
The Hon. Branville McCartney, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State in Ministry of Tourism & Aviation**
The Hon. Phenton Neymour, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State for Public Utilities**
The Hon. Byran Woodside, M.P.-Elect
**Minister of State for Youth & Sports**
Two **Parliamentary Secretaries** have been appointed:
Brensil Rolle
**Ministry of Housing and National Insurance**
Sen. Kay Forbes Smith
**Office of the Prime Minister in Freeport***(with responsibility for Bahamas Information Services and ZNS)*
And, in addition to the four above, there are 5 other FNM **Senators**: Johnley Ferguson, Jacinta Higgs, Lynn Holowesko, Rev. Frederick McAlpine and David Thompson.
**Financial Services Focus**
The new Government has pledged a number of activities to ensure that the financial services sector remains attractive, internationally competitive and adequately regulated. These include:
• Maintain The Bahamas as a low-tax jurisdiction
• Continue advocacy of a level playing field for standards to be observed by providers of financial services internationally
• Ensure the timely amendment or enactment of relevant legislation
• Rationalize the regulatory regimes so as to reduce overlap and duplication
• Address the capacity building need within regulatory bodies
• Facilitate the engagement of an adequate number of professional and administrative professionals in the legal and judicial services
• Ensure that Bahamian overseas Missions, particularly in London and Washington D.C., have economic officers with financial services experience and expertise