Premier and Finance Minister Paula Cox has given herself responsibility for capital projects in a dramatic shake-up of Government announced yesterday.

The Premier has created new Ministries, renamed others and put herself in charge of a soon-to-be-formed Procurement Office, which will handle government contracts and project management on capital works and allow Ms Cox to "tighten control on spending".

She said: "I promised to reconfigure and reshape the way we do business and these changes deliver on that promise."

Her Finance Ministry will keep revenue collection for HM Customs but responsibilities for border control and stemming the flow of drugs and firearms into Bermuda will come under the new Ministry of National Security, led by David Burch.

Sen. Burch will continue to have responsibility for the Police and the Regiment, as he did when in charge of public safety as Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing.

Asked about the name of the new Ministry, Governor Sir Richard Gozney said: "The constitutional positions of the Governor and elected Government are unchanged.

"The Governor retains ultimate responsibility for internal security and the Police and discusses both, frequently and in depth, with the Minister who funds the Police and who carries local political responsibility for Police performance, as well as the Police leadership."

He added that he and Senator Burch had already held their first meeting, just three hours after the Minister was sworn-in.

The changes to the Civil Service mean two Ministries — Culture and Social Rehabilitation and Energy, Telecommunications and eCommerce — no longer exist.

Many of the responsibilities of the former now fall under the new Ministry for Youth, Families and Community Development, headed by Glenn Blakeney.

They include the Mirrors programme; sport and recreation; and the Financial Assistance, Child and Family Services, and Human Affairs departments.

The Premier described the Ministry as "the heartland of Government's care and concern for the people".

"Minister Blakeney will forge key partnerships in a continuum of care, catering to all aspects of making our communities stronger and empowering our youth and families," she added.

The responsibilities of the former Ministry of Energy, Telecommunications and eCommerce will now be split between the Ministry of the Environment, led by Minister Walter Roban, and the new Ministry of Business Development and Tourism.

Patrice Minors has returned to Cabinet after several years on the backbench to head the latter Ministry and work on the growth of Bermuda's twin economic pillars: tourism and international business.

The Premier said: "There has long been a desire to align these two sectors and combining these responsibilities with an emphasis on development will instill confidence in Bermuda and our future in these two areas."

Former Attorney General Kim Wilson is in charge of the new Ministry of Trade, Economy and Industry, which will handle work permits and incorporates the Department of Labour and Training.

The Ministry of Works and Engineering is now the Ministry of Public Works. New Deputy Premier Derrick Burgess retains most of his former responsibilities as W&E Minister, apart from the Architectural Design and Construction division, which will come under Ms Cox's Procurement Office.

Former Culture Minister Neletha Butterfield is in charge of the new Ministry of Public Information Services. No information was released on her responsibilities, but they are expected to include the Department of Communications and Information, CITV and public access to information (PATI).

The Corrections, Court Services and National Drug Control departments have been moved under the Ministry of Justice, under new Attorney General Michael Scott.

Transport has been separated from Tourism, with Terry Lister returning to Cabinet to take charge.

What wasn't clear yesterday was which Ministry will deal with housing, nor other offices such as the Rent Commission, the Registry General and Bermuda Post Office, the last three formerly coming under the Telecommunications Ministry.

A Government spokeswoman said the full extent of the changes was still being revealed to the Civil Service and more details would follow.