Dr Friday’s Cabinet Introduces New Ministries & Restructured Portfolios

An image featuring all seventeen individuals who were sworn into the new Cabinet of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) to manage the executive affairs of thr country.

By Val Matthias. Updated 9:28 p.m., Tuesday, December 2, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The swearing‑in of Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday’s Cabinet today marked a significant shift in the governance structure of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The new administration has unveiled several newly created ministries while reshaping existing portfolios, reflecting its priorities in modernization, social protection, and resilience.

Among the most notable innovations are the establishment of the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture, and Creative Industries, which elevates creative industries as a standalone priority; the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, which expands Education to include Digital policy and innovation; the Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Empowerment, Disaster Management, and National Heritage, which integrates disaster preparedness with Heritage Preservation; the Ministry of Higher Education, Grenadines Affairs, Local Government, Airports, and Seaports, which combines higher education with Grenadines development and transport hubs; the Ministry of Tourism and Maritime Affairs, which shifts tourism to include maritime development; and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and Energy, which broadens health to encompass energy policy.

In addition to these new ministries, several portfolios have been restructured to sharpen their focus. Housing, Urban Development, Land Management, and Informal Settlement Upgrading now emphasizes urban planning and settlement upgrading. Family, Gender Affairs, Persons with Disabilities, Occupational Safety, and Labour expands social protection to include disability rights and workplace safety. Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment, and Diaspora Affairs now formally incorporate diaspora relations, while Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Transformation has been streamlined to emphasize rural transformation.

Compared to the outgoing Ralph Gonsalves Cabinet, which operated with 11 traditional ministries, the Dr Friday administration has introduced portfolios in Creative Industries, Digital Transformation, Disaster Management, Diaspora Affairs, Maritime Affairs, and Energy.

Not mentioned in the new Cabinet portfolios are the areas of ecclesiastical affairs, information, and thr public sector.

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