Above: the new ministers with Panama President Ricardo Martinelli (Photo: OP)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Panama President Ricardo Martinelli officially introduced four new ministers of government in a ceremony Monday.

The appointments came after a cabinet shake-up announced by Martinelli last week.

The newly-reshaped cabinet is headlined by Foreign Minister Romulo Roux, Public Works Minister Jaime Ford, Health Minister Javier Diaz and Canal Affairs Minister Roberto Roy.

Martinelli signed the executive orders certifying them in their new positions yesterday.

The appointments follow the appointment of Roberto Henriquez as the Minister of the Presidency, who replaced former Minister of the Presidency Demetrio “Jimmy” Papadimitriu.

The latter had occupied the office since July 2009 until submitting his resignation last month.

Henriquez had previously been serving as Panama’s Foreign Minister. He was replaced on an interim basis by Deputy Foreign Minister Francisco Alvarez de Soto.