Nassau, Bahamas - The
Cabinet Office announced today that Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G.
Christie has accepted the resignation of the Hon. Ryan Pinder as the Minister
of Financial Services. Mr. Pinder will
be taking up a senior executive position with the Deltec international banking
group here in Nassau.
In
accepting Mr. Pinder’s resignation as a member of his cabinet, the Prime
Minister said that Mr. Pinder had proven himself to be “a public servant of
extraordinary ability, energy and dedication – an outstanding minister in every
way, as well as a dear colleague and valued friend. Ryan has accomplished much
for the financial services industry in a comparatively short period of time and
for that I commend him wholeheartedly.”
The
Prime Minister went on to say that while he was sorry to be losing Mr. Pinder
as a cabinet colleague, he fully understood that Mr. Pinder had been presented
with a “magnificent opportunity to put his technical skills as a specialist
lawyer and industry professional to excellent use, and in a way that would be
in the best interests of his family and himself at this particular juncture of
his life and career”.
“Ryan
had apprised me some time back of his decision to return to the private sector
and we had been in close contact ever since as to the timing for such a transition.
We both agreed that with the year drawing to a close now would be as good a
time as any to make the announcement”.
The
Prime Minister also said, however, that he was gratified that Mr. Pinder would
continue to serve the people of the Elizabeth Constituency as their Member of
Parliament and that he would remain a fully-committed member of the Progressive
Liberal Party as well. He was also gratified, he said, that the country would
continue to benefit from Mr. Pinder’s expertise, this time in the private
sector.
Mr.
Pinder, for his part, thanked the Prime Minister for having afforded him the
opportunity to serve as a minister of the government in a vitally important
area of our nation’s economic life – financial services.
“I
have thoroughly enjoyed my time in cabinet”, Mr. Pinder said. “I was given a
ministry that really excited me and for which I came well prepared by virtue of
my professional training and experience.
It really has been a ride of a lifetime.
I feel particularly proud to have made some major breakthroughs in some
critically important and sensitive areas of the financial services industry.”
In
explaining his decision to return to the private sector at this time, Mr. Pinder
indicated that the interests of his wife and children at this time were such
that he could not sensibly pass up the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that
Deltec had extended to him.
Mr.
Pinder confirmed that he had every intention of remaining in the House of Assembly
as the voice for the people of the Elizabeth Constituency and that he had
assured the Prime Minister of his continued support .
The
Prime Minister has advised that Mr. Pinder’s replacement as Minister of
Financial Services will be announced very shortly.