Several permanent secretaries in Antigua and Barbuda have been reassigned to new ministries, in what Chief of Staff Ambassador Lionel Hurst described as a routine reshuffling aimed at optimising leadership and enhancing performance across government departments.

The matter was addressed during this week’s post-Cabinet media briefing, where Hurst emphasised that such movements are neither unusual nor punitive, but form a key part of how the public service evolves to meet changing national priorities.

“Anyone who is in the government service knows that he or she is subject to being moved,” Hurst told reporters, adding that permanent secretaries — as senior administrative leaders — are expected to bring flexibility and institutional knowledge to whichever ministry they are assigned.

He explained that successive administrations, including those led by Prime Ministers Lester Bird and Gaston Browne, have regularly engaged in reassignments at the senior level to ensure that government ministries are equipped with the right expertise.

“The skills that are necessary in one ministry may differ from the skills in another,” Hurst said. “Permanent secretaries tend to be the smartest among the employees of the government of Antigua and Barbuda, and as a consequence, they learn quickly and quickly adapt.”

While Hurst acknowledged speculation that the changes may have been triggered by the recent disruption in the education sector, he made clear that the current rotation was not a direct consequence of the teachers’ strike or the late payment of allowances. However, he did not rule out the possibility that the overall performance of ministries may be evaluated during ongoing investigations into that matter.

No official list of reassigned personnel has yet been released, and Hurst declined to provide names or specific details, citing internal administrative processes still underway.

The rotation comes amid wider efforts by the administration to streamline service delivery, improve inter-ministerial coordination, and boost accountability in the public service.