Minister Chebat Settling at New Ministry

Michel Chebat

He was moved over in January as the Minister of Health to take up the portfolios of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-Governance. When Prime Minister John Briceño assigned Minister Michel Chebat to take up those ministries, he said he needed someone like the Minister who has a legal background since some matters have yet to be resolved since the previous government. Two months after the transition, Minister Michel Chebat told News Five he sees public utilities as an opportunity to provide social justice.

Michel Chebat, Minister of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics & E-Governance

“It seems that the battles follow me wherever I go, and as you know, on my transition, when I was new at the Ministry we had to deal with the issue of the stevedores and so it did force me to bring in some of the legal knowledge I have to bring to the table and to help with the negotiations that were taking place. I’m happy at the Ministry of the Public Utilities. I think it is a critical Ministry. I look at it from the point of view as using the utilities to help our people to rise out of poverty. I look at it as an opportunity for equal justice. I know people don’t look at utilities in that way but when you think about it, when you offer people light, when you offer people water, you’re lifting them up and you’re giving them opportunities and so I welcome the opportunity to be at this new Ministry.”

Marion Ali

“Can you say what’s in the pipeline, in terms of the legal battles? Which ones are we looking at first?”

Michel Chebat

“Well, we have several of them in court. There are several matters in court and you know, they’re court matters, so I’m not free to discuss them on the media, but we have a very competent team at the Attorney-General’s Ministry and we liaising with them very closely to make sure that we have the best possible defense that we can put together.”