Minister Mac Andrew remains confident: “Never doubted my performance”

Minister Steven Mac Andrew of Labour, Employment and Youth Affairs (AW and J) stated that he has never doubted his performance as a minister. Despite recent developments in which a fellow minister resigned, Mac Andrew emphasized that he continues his work with confidence. Although he regrets the departure of colleagues, including Bronto Somohardjo, he respects their decisions.
Somohardjo recently offered his portfolio, a decision Mac Andrew understands. “Everyone has their own reasons,” said the minister prior to the weekly Council of Ministers (RvM) meeting. Mac Andrew, who has previously served as an interim minister, is open to fulfilling such a role again if the President requests, but he does not feel personally addressed by Vice President Ronnie Brunswijk’s remarks about a possible reshuffling among ministers.
He noted that President Santokhi regularly holds meetings to evaluate ministerial performance, and he has not received any complaints regarding his work at the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Youth Affairs. An important matter still pending is the conversion of the old Hotel Babylon into office spaces for his ministry. Despite public criticism over the hotel’s purchase, Mac Andrew reported that, since he took office on March 26, all rooms have been occupied by staff members.
However, the conversion of two units into office spaces has been delayed due to a lack of financial resources. The ministry hopes to address this issue soon with a loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The departments still requiring office space fall under the Labour Market Directorate, including the Work Permits and Direct Mediation units.
Mac Andrew acknowledged that he had hoped the project would be further along by now but emphasized that the government must prioritize spending. “While the ministry is of great importance, we must consider where the government can directly allocate funds,” the minister stated.

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