Rymer juggling 10 portfolios as Premier and Deputy travel

Communication and Works Minister Kye Rymer may be the hardest-working member of government over the next two weeks, as he steps up to manage as many as ten portfolios while both the Premier and Deputy Premier travel on official duties outside the territory.

Premier Dr. Natalio Wheatley is scheduled to be out of the territory from June 8 to June 20, attending a series of high-level meetings in the United States, Brazil, and the wider Caribbean.

During that time, Deputy Premier and Minister for Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Julian Fraser will also be away on official business, from June 7 to June 15.

As a result, Minister Rymer will serve as the interim leader of the territory. In addition to his two standing portfolios—Communications and Works—he will temporarily oversee the responsibilities of Premier; Minister of Finance; Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sustainable Development; and Minister for Financial Services, Economic Development and Digital Transformation.

Rymer, who bears responsibility for the territory’s critical infrastructure upgrades, is already facing increasing public pressure. Residents say deteriorating roads and inconsistent water supply have now reached what some describe as humanitarian crisis levels. In response, Rymer has appealed for patience, promising that strategic steps are being taken to bring lasting improvements to the territory’s aging public assets.