THIS IS the Cabinet graduating class of 1997. Over the last five years (December 1997-October 2002) there have been a few changes to the composition of the group. The 18-team Cabinet, comprised of 16 men and two women (Simpson Miller and Henry-Wilson) has now dwindled to a 16 team pool (with only one remaining female, Simpson Miller). In these days of female participation and breaking glass ceilings, I hope this is not a reflection of the female Ministerial talent pool available, however, if one looks at the small numbers of female candidates, from the two major parties, there isn't likely to be much difference in the future.

It has been a happy occasion for some, marriage (Simpson Miller) but also tragedy for some, marriage then divorce (Paulwell), unless you are like some of my friends, who view marriage as the tragedy and divorce as the happy occasion.

A few students have left the class over the years, in the main voluntarily (Douglas, Henry-Wilson, Mullings, Robertson and Tulloch), but one had to be dragged kicking and screaming (figuratively) out (i.e. Blythe), while a few joined the class during its tenure (Buchanan, Campbell, Dalley and Hylton).

For better or worse (there is that marriage link again) this will be the last grouping of this composition of students. If the PNP is returned to power, there should be a few new faces (hopefully a lot), while if the JLP regains office, there will be a completely new set of students to assess (or given the life tenure of several students in both major parties, we may just be seeing until death do us part).

The grades are entirely subjective, based on a perception of Ministerial performance. An 'A' grade means an excellent performance, demonstrating competence in running their Ministry. A 'B' grade means an above average performance, A 'C' grade means a passing grade but the Minister needs to work a little harder. Grades D to F means the performance was poor to dismal and it is a tribute to Jamaica's tolerance level that the Minister still has a job and does not join our unemployed pool.

A few students retained the same portfolio (Clarke, Davies, Junor and P.J. Patterson) but some had additional responsibilities or switched portfolio (Knight, Hylton, Nicholson, Phillips, Pickersgill, Simpson Miller and Paulwell). Normally, stability leads to an improved performance, as repetition tends to improve even the most dull, but what we found was a mixed bag of performances, ranging from good to disastrous.

There were several 'C' grades, Minister Paulwell, for instance, was one of the students who took on additional responsibilities (investment added after Dr. Robertson departed) but the task proved quite large, as it resulted in the NetServ fiasco. His work in opening up the telecommunication system and the cellular proliferation however means a passing C grade. Any youthful exuberance can be forgiven, with apologies for any plagiarism of this term (another area under his portfolio that developed, copyright law and intellectual property rights).

Ministers Junor and Clarke obtained 'C' grades, despite a May Pen hospital revolt which Minister Junor quickly quashed, and our problems in agriculture, more caused from external policy directives (WTO etc.) and internal Cabinet policy failure (delay in implementing Safeguard Act). Both took an active role in their portfolios and were supportive of efforts to retain nurses, doctors or revitalise farming.

Ministers Buchanan, Dalley and Hylton all received 'C' grades although had Minister Hylton remained or been promoted to head Foreign Affairs, the grade would have been higher. The attempts to diversify into hotel employment and reform the Labour Act were noteworthy but I would love to know who at the Ministry of Labour grants a work permit for foreign male and female exotic dancers, given Jamaica's comparative advantage on that score. Horace Dalley came in very late but some reform of the land titles office took place in his tenure.

The Minister of Finance Dr. Omar Davies received a 'C' grade. Now some may be wondering if I am writing from Bellevue, to give out a 'C' grade, but this is for the period after the financial meltdown, not before. He has got a lot of high marks by major external institutions for his handling of the economy, despite his detractors at home and the gas price riots.

Minister Arnold Bertram picked up an 'E' grade. He got bogged down with trying to explain a reform of the Local Government system, that was not a reform; then to explain away an electricity cess, that was not a cess, then onto the latest confusion, the property tax. The latest straw to break the camel's back was the JCC one-day shutdown of downtown Kingston. Aptly nicknamed "Scree" after listening to his explanations, one wanted to scream in frustration.

Several Ministers received 'D' grades. These included Ministers Colin Campbell; K.D. Knight; A.J. Nicholson and Robert Pickersgill. As Minister of Information, and with a background as a communication specialist, Minister Campbell's attempt to explain away various Ministerial mistakes (e.g. the NetServ tour with Minister Paulwell) meant that he should have been doing a refresher course in public relations. Minister Knight's 'D' while seemingly poor, is an improvement on what he received during his long tenure as security Minister. The good thing about this Minister in his new job (not his old job) is that if he does not know the answer, he shuts up and lets others answer, or sends others more qualified to major conferences.

Minister Nicholson comes in for a 'D' grade given the poor state of the Justice system (this was added to his Attorney General Portfolio late) and his spirited but poor defence of various issues (Freedom of Information Act, imposition of Court of Justice etc.).

Minister Pickersgill returned to an old portfolio and received a dose of what Jamaicans call "bad luck worse than obeah". A spate of serious hurricane like rains, and his profound statement that 'electricity outages are a thing of the past' was brought forcefully home. The best we can ask Minister Pickersgill to do, is to climb the tallest tree, find out if we are in the right jungle and stay quiet at the top of the tree.

The top performers were Phillips, Simpson Miller and Whiteman, all 'B' grades. They have done well despite major problems in their portfolios. Minister Peter Phillips switched into the difficult crime portfolio and was able to soothe external pressure (British arms exports linked to reductions in police force shootings of civilians) and internal pressure (Braeton Seven Killings, which he inherited). Portia Simpson Miller had to battle powerful internal pressures (in-fighting with the JTB Board, criticism from Butch; an unfavourable New York audit) and external (the September 11 worldwide effects), while undertaking commendable attendance at various sporting occasions (from World Juniors, to Special Olympics, to Reggae Boyz matches). Minister Whiteman emerges with a 'B' given that he managed to serve with some distinction and stay on his feet, to avoid the slippery banana skin of education. It was certainly not smooth sailing as teacher retrenchment in secondary schools was successfully challenged by the JTA and teacher migration to the UK; USA and Canada threatened to put a dent in education plans.

This leaves the Minister of Defence, The Head student, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P.J. Patterson. As seen above there were no 'A's' are 'F's' in the grades of cabinet ministers so the only grade that we can assign the PM is an 'A' if he pulls off this election, or a 'F' if he loses this election. With Jamaica fighting no war and the Minister of Security tending to combine the army and police into a crime-fighting unit, we could be left to wonder, what does the Prime Minister really do? I doubt that when Golding and his former NDM colleagues were discussing separation of powers, he was thinking of separating the Prime Minister from his post, or was he (in view of the latest Golding switch)!