PLP MP Neletha Butterfield has been handed the role of Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation, taking Dale Butler's Cabinet position following his unexpected resignation days ago.

Ms Butterfield was sworn in at Government House yesterday by Governor Sir Richard Gozney, and will now rejoin the Cabinet for the first time since late 2007, when she was relieved of her role as Environment Minister.

Also joining Premier Ewart Brown's Cabinet is Junior Minister for Labour Walter Roban, who will now serve as Minister without portfolio. Dr. Brown welcomed both to their new Cabinet roles, adding that Mr. Roban will "assist wherever we need him".

"Walter Roban is a wonderful example of a young man who has toiled in the vineyard of Bermudian politics," he said. "For him, in my opinion, it was just a matter of time before he would rise to the rank of Minister."

Ms Butterfield acknowledged the challenge of taking over a Ministerial position from Mr. Butler, a beloved and well-respected politician, telling The Royal Gazette: "It will be a challenge. I'm looking forward to filling the former Minister's shoes. He's left a wonderful foundation; I will just build on the foundation he's left there."

As the Governor swore Ms Butterfield in, he noted that he'd been "enormously impressed" with her work with C.A.R.E, the continuing education centre she founded in 1983.

Ms Butterfield told The Royal Gazette that her most recent C.A.R.E initiative, aiding recovering drug addicts, has set her in good stead for her new portfolio.

"I've already had my hands-on experience with that," she said.

Ms Butterfield has been without a Cabinet role since the day after the PLP's General Election victory in December 2007, when she was told her services as Minister of the Environment, Telecommunications and E-Commerce were no longer required.

Prior to that, she was Minister of Education and Development under Premier Alex Scott.

Dr. Brown called Ms Butterfield's latest appointment "a perfect fit", adding that he harbours no ill will towards Mr. Butler, who stepped down from his Cabinet role on Saturday in dismay following the Premier's lack of consultation over the Guantánamo detainees.

His resignation followed a lengthy debate on Friday over Dr. Brown's lack of consultation during which Ms Butterfield said the controversy had given her one of the most difficult times of her political career.

She said young, disaffected men in her constituency who felt the Island was doing little to help them, were demanding to know why the decision was taken to let the detainees come here.

"I'm going to have a rough time explaining a lot of things to them," she said on the floor of the House of Assembly, adding that one young man had told her she was all right because she was "not in the crowd that had made that decision".

Dr. Brown said he and Mr. Butler had been in touch since the former Culture Minister's resignation, and planned on working together in the future.

"He sent me an e-mail thanking me for saying kind things about him," said Dr. Brown. "I'm sure I'll see him tomorrow at caucus. He will remain involved. He's that kind of person. I expect a lot from him wherever he is."

Yesterday, The Royal Gazette asked Ms Butterfield why she accepted the Cabinet position in light of her comments in the House of Assembly but she did not respond.