Stewardship of the country?s finances has been handed to Paula Cox, daughter of the late Finance Minister Eugene Cox, Premier Alex Scott announced yesterday.

?Our stability is assured, our fiscal management sound, our country is blessed,? the Premier said in making the announcement.

Cabinet changes were made necessary by the January 9 death of Mr. Cox who succumbed to cancer while in office.

And Sen. Larry Mussenden was sworn in as a Cabinet Minister to replace Ms Cox as Attorney General and Minister of Justice.

Terry Lister, who had served as the Progressive Labour Party?s second Works Minister after Mr. Scott became Premier, was named Education Minister, also previously held by Ms Cox. Taking over the Works Ministry, which includes the Housing portfolio, is former Minister without Portfolio Ashfield DeVent.

The changes were announced at a Government House ceremony yesterday afternoon. Mr. Scott?s shuffle scuttles the super Ministry of Justice and Education but keeps the size of the Cabinet the same.

?Ladies and gentlemen, the team is again complete. You can be assured this is a good team,? the Premier said. ?In keeping with our promise we have not increased the size of Cabinet, but as you can see we remain a strong and cohesive unit.?

Mr. Scott stressed during a brief interview soon after the ceremony that he had not felt pressured in any way to satisfy any particular faction of his party, and that he had had a free hand in making the appointments.

?I?m getting total cooperation with the entire party. No one brings up issues of divisions of the past. No one says you have overlooked me ? I have a free hand and for that I am appreciative.

?That?s why the PLP has been so successful ? it?s nothing to do with me, it?s a team effort.?

There had been widespread speculation that Sen. Michael Scott, the Minister of Legislative Affairs, would take over as Attorney General.

Yesterday Sen. Scott, who attended the Government House ceremony, said he was not ?in the least? disappointed that he had not been selected. ?I would have been honoured to have had the opportunity. Any lawyer would be ? it?s a great honour to hold that position, but I?m quite content with the way the Premier has managed the Cabinet appointments.?

The appointment marks the first time a Senator has held the post ? a fact which could add grist to the Opposition?s criticisms about a politically appointed AG. When asked what arrangements had been put in place to enable the Attorney General?s office to be accountable to the elected legislature, Mr. Scott said that Sen. Mussenden could be available in the House of Assembly, if required, or Ms Cox, the former Attorney General could make the Government?s case clear.

He added that Mr. Mussenden was the best person for the job, which consists primarily of providing legal advice to the Government, and was in some ways more experienced for the post than the PLP?s first Attorney General Dame Lois Browne Evans.

?Minister Larry Mussenden cut his teeth at the AG?s chambers. He trained as a student in the AG?s office, under QC Elliott Mottley and he was there as Crown counsel, so he?s probably more experienced than Dame Lois... in the sense that she came in from the private sector.?

Sen. Mussenden was ?probably one of the most qualified individuals? for the post, he added. ?Certainly the Opposition doesn?t have anybody of that breadth and depth of qualifications.?

Minister DeVent was formerly a Minister without Portfolio, but the Premier has decided to do without that post for the time being. ?Great things happen to those who go to the Ministry of Works and Engineering,? quipped the Premier, himself a former Works Minister. Or should I say great Ministers go to the Ministry of Works and Engineering (and Housing).?