Less than a week after securing a landslide victory from the former governing Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), 15 of the elected members of the Free National Movement (FNM) received their Instrument of Appointment from Governor General Dame Marguerite Pindling, on the grounds of Government House yesterday.

Taking the oath of office as cabinet ministers, promising to “be faithful and bear true allegiance” as well as to be “a true and faithful minister,” the 15 ministers were given a stern warning by Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis to be honest and transparent.

“I want to send a message to my ministers, that should you engage in unsavory or unethical requests to the permanent secretary and I discover or find this out, you will immediately be fired.

“And I say to the permanent secretaries, should you not report such behavior and allow it to fester, you too will be fired,” Dr. Minnis told the new cabinet.

Reiterating his charge from last week’s swearing in, Dr. Minnis further told the new governing team that they must hold high standards of integrity.

“Cabinet colleagues, I repeat the charge I made last week at the swearing in of two of your colleagues.

“Fidelity to the oath you swore today is essential in order to provide the Bahamian people with a government of integrity.

“Good and open government demands transparency and accountability. Good governance demands being responsible for our actions.

“Accordingly, I will hold my minsters to the highest standards of ethical conduct in the performance of their public duties.

“It’s now the people’s time,” Dr. Minnis said.

Referring to the new governing party as the people’s government, while giving his remarks, Dr. Minnis noted that this was all for the Bahamian people who he said deserved such.

“We must never forget that we serve as the people’s government, and that means all the people.

“The spirit of democracy must be our constant companion and guiding light.

“The Bahamian people want less talk and more action. Brevity is not the enemy of effective communication.

“The Bahamian people deserve a government that respects time and proper functioning of government.

“My administration will be marked by order and punctuality. We will strive to be an organized government,” Dr. Minnis said.

In order of precedence the new slate of cabinet ministers included three that will be sworn in to the Senate early next week.

Brent Symonette, minister of financial services, trade and industry, and immigration; Desmond Bannister, minister of works; Renward Wells, minister of agriculture and marine resources; Dr. Duane Sands, minister of health; Marvin Dames, minister of national security.

The only female in the cabinet, Lanisha Rolle, minister of social services and urban development; Frankie Campbell, minister of transport and local government; Jeffery Lloyd, minister of education; Romauld Ferreira, minister of environment and housing; Dion Foulkes, minister of labour, who will be sworn in to the Senate; Darren Allen Henfield, minister of foreign affairs; Michael Pintard, minister of youth, sports and culture.

Dionisio D’Aguilar, minister of tourism, aviation with responsibility for Bahamasair; Brensil Rolle will serve as minister of state for the public service and national insurance in the Office of the Prime Minister.

Kwasi Thompson, who will also be sworn in to the Senate, will serve as minister of state for Grand Bahama in the Office of the Prime Minister; and Ellsworth Johnson will serve as minister of state for legal affairs in the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Legal Affairs.

Carl Bethel, who was sworn in on Friday past is the third cabinet minister that will be sworn in to the Senate.

Mr. Bethel was sworn in as the attorney general and minister of legal affairs.