Former Agriculture Minister Ready For Cabinet Return

The possibility of Jose Abelardo Mai returning to Cabinet is back on the table, and Prime Minister John Briceño isn’t closing the door. In fact, Briceño says he would welcome the former Agriculture Minister back, praising his record in the portfolio, although he cautions that any Cabinet reshuffle must take the balance of his executive into account. Mai, for his part, says he is ready to serve whenever the Prime Minister gives the green light. Agriculture, he insists, remains close to his heart. But before any return, Mai says he needs a little more time to recover, putting his health at about ninety percent.

 

Jose Abelardo Mai, Former Agriculture Minister

“Whenever the Prime Minister is ready, I am ready. I know he put the new minister in. He just did a shuffle. And so whenever he believes it’s ready, I will be ready. That’s what I can say. He’s the Prime Minister, and I respect his decision. I think they’ve been asking him a number of times in the media, and whenever he says whenever he’s ready, I am ready. That’s all I can say about it. I don’t minister myself. It’s the Prime Minister who does that. Because the only thing I can do is agriculture to me. And so I keep that close to my heart. And so wherever I can help, I help. Whenever I can advise, I advise. If someone doesn’t need my advice, then they don’t need. It’s only advice, you don’t have to take it, right? Yeah. And so, I keep very close to that. So like I said, whenever he’s ready, I am ready. I’m like ninety percent there. I just need a little more time. I address the new incidences, you know, that I’m suffering with sciatic pain. But I think that’s supposed to be easier to manage than what I had before.  So it’s a matter of doing therapy and doing the right things, and I should be fine.” 

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“I would love to have Jose Mai in Cabinet. We know that he’s one of the best agriculture ministers we’ve had probably since before 1981. But as it is right now, I’ve already set a cabinet and you know at the appropriate time, if I make any changes, I’d certainly consider bringing Jose Mai back.”

 

Paul Lopez

“So there is nothing restricting you from bringing him back, except for the fact that you already have a Minister of Agriculture?”

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“As Prime Minister, I have a responsibility to the entire cabinet. I’m trying to see how best I can balance, that’s what you always do, try to see how you can give a proper balance in the cabinet, and that’s what I’m trying to do at this time.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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