"As recently as September, the prime minister, during the Supplementary Budget Debate, gave public assurances that he would be cutting the size of the executive," Simpson Miller said in a statement yesterday.
Stern, the member of parliament for North West Clarendon, was sworn in as minister on Tuesday. However, Government only confirmed the appointment after The Gleaner asked questions of Information Minister Daryl Vaz late Thursday evening.
Whispers about the appointment have been swirling around and checks with King's House and the Jamaica Information Service did not turn up a confirmation.
At that time, our checks showed that the media had not been invited to the swearing-in, neither had there been any official announcement after the Tuesday morning ceremony.
When The Gleaner contacted Stern Thursday, he was unwilling to provide the confirmation.
"I can't comment. Call Mr Samuda," Stern said.
"I have been doing work with the ministry consistently, so call them," he added.
The information minister told The Gleaner that Stern's appointment was "a no-brainer, as it was not increasing the size of Government".
However, Simpson Miller said Prime Minister Bruce Golding went back on his word when he reappointed Stern.
economic challenges
"At the time, the prime minister made the statement as a signal that he recognised the seriousness of the economic challenges which the country faced and that he would lead from the front and would reduce the size of the executive," Simpson Miller said.
The size of the executive was already 28, inclusive of 16 Cabinet ministers, 10 ministers of state and two parliamentary secretaries.
Stern was booted by the court in July as a result of his dual-citizenship status. He had pledged allegiance to a foreign power, which is prohibited under the Constitution. However, the Jamaica Labour Party member was re-elected in a subsequent by-election in September.
On Thursday, Jamaica House said a computer glitch had delayed the issuing of the statement on the appointment of the man who had served in the same post until he was ousted by the court for having dual citizenship.
However, Jamaica House gave no explanation as to why the media had not been invited to the swearing-in, though an invitation to all others, including that of Vaz who was returned to the Office of the Prime Minister as a junior minister after his success in a by-election, were issued.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com