New C.E.O. Appointments for Ministries

Lindsay Garbutt

Last Tuesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow announced a list of fifteen CEOs to the different government ministries. That list is quickly changing and here is how. We begin with the change the Ministry of Tourism where Lindsay Garbutt had been retained as Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Tourism and to Minister Manuel Heredia who is on his second consecutive term at the head of that ministry. By Friday, however all that changed and Garbutt stepped down and will reportedly be moving to the Ministry of Transport, specifically to Civil Aviation. But back to Garbutt, he was appointed C.E.O. of Tourism on November thirtieth, 2010 when Mike Singh moved to BELTRAIDE. Garbutt’s appointment this time around, however, was confirmed for only a six month period so he called it quits. Heredia, we are told, prefers Tracy Panton whose contract as Director of Tourism was not renewed in December 2009.

Tracy Panton

Panton is now at Belize Natural Energy and it might be a case of déjà vu because her possible appointment will be discussed in Cabinet this Tuesday. There is another major appointment to report. Jose Alpuche, the former head of Belize Agro Producers, is now the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Agriculture. Alpuche was recruited late last week and he started his appointment today. Agriculture is now with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Alpuche is the former C.E.O. of the Ministry of Foreign Trade.