Political commentator Kevin O’Brien Chang has voiced strong support for Fayval Williams, the newly appointed finance minister of Jamaica, emphasizing her qualifications and experience.

In an interview with Our Today, Chang highlighted her impressive educational background, which includes an MBA from Harvard and a Wharton financial degree, as well as her prior work in the ministry.

“Fayval has all the qualifications; she did work in the ministry before; she understands it; she was competent by all sounds; I didn’t hear any complaints. She has an MBA from Harvard and a Warton financial degree, so she has the technical education. She has the experience. I always thought she was the obvious choice,” he noted.

Chang believes that while former Finance Minister Dr Nigel Clarke has set a high standard, Williams has the potential to excel in her new role.

“Who knows, Fayval might be just as good as Dr Clarke. You never know until you try. She certainly has the qualifications and the experience, so I don’t see any reason to think she will not do a good job. People are saying that Dr Clarke is irreplaceable, but people have been doing a good job before him too, and let us all hope, as Jamaicans, we want the economy to do well—that Fayval Williams does a good job as her predecessor,” he added.

Williams’ historic appointment marks her as the first woman to serve as Finance Minister in Jamaica. Her credentials also include a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and a cum laude degree in Economics from Harvard. Her transition follows Dr Clarke’s resignation as he takes on the deputy managing director position at the International Monetary Fund.

Additionally, Chang praised the appointment of Senator Dana Morris Dixon as the new Education Minister, calling it a strategic move given her leadership role in the Patterson committee.

“Dana Dixon was on the Patterson committee; I think she was the head, and that is what the Education Ministry needs. We need to implement the Patterson report, so both are logical choices in my view,” he noted.