Minister Kellman??looks over several documents at his Hincks Street office.??
Acting Minister of the Environment, Water Resources and Drainage, Dennis Kellman is on the job!
Minister Kellman, a Parliamentarian of some 16 years, who was elevated to the front-bench following the illness of the substantive Minister, Dr. Denis Lowe, today spent his first official day in office.
"I am happy to be here and I am glad to have met the Permanent Secretary and staff. I am also happy to find a department keen to work, and willing to advise," the Acting Minister remarked, following introductory meetings with Permanent Secretary, Lionel Weekes, senior members of his technical team, and other staff at the ??Ministry’s Hincks Street, Bridgetown offices.
Minister Kellman, who underscored his belief that a small country like Barbados could achieve "a lot" as long as its citizens were prepared to "work together," maintained?? that,?? in the same vein, as long as there?? was collaboration and correct practices within the large Ministry, they could "make the Prime Minister happy, and make the country happy."
A strong proponent of old time practices, Minister Kellman intimated that many things that were done in years past were relevant to environmental conservation.
"Renewable energy will be one of the things that we have to look at in a major way. Years ago, we knew nothing about fossil fuels, but we knew about the thing we now call renewable energy," he asserted.
In this regard, the Acting Minister stressed the need to "apologise" to our foreparents by returning to some of the practices of by gone years.
"We also need to recognise that we are leaders. The Parks and Beaches Commission was not?? only established for weeding and cutting down trees, as some persons?? believe,?? but to preserve the environment.?? So, now that the world is talking about greening and a clean environment, we should educate the world about how we started the process," Mr. Kellman maintained.
Minister Kellman, who is the MP for the parish of St. Lucy, has been a Member of Parliament since 1994.