Suzette Taylor-Lee Chee
Permanent Secretary
Mrs. Suzette Taylor-Lee Chee has been appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance with effect from January 1st, 2021. Mrs. Taylor-Lee Chee previously served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance from 2017 to 2020 and as Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance from 2014 to 2017.
Mrs. Taylor-Lee Chee begun her career at the Ministry of Finance in September 1992 as Economist I assigned to the Monetary Fiscal and Trade Division.
Mrs. Suzette Taylor-Lee Chee has been appointed Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance with effect from January 1st, 2021. Mrs. Taylor-Lee Chee previously served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance from 2017 to 2020 and as Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance from 2014 to 2017.
Mrs. Taylor-Lee Chee begun her career at the Ministry of Finance in September 1992 as Economist I assigned to the Monetary Fiscal and Trade Division.
She was subsequently appointed to the posts of Economist II and Senior Economist in the Coordinating and Monitoring Unit of the Ministry of Finance and successively, as Assistant Director, Economic Management Division (EMD), Macro Fiscal Unit.
Between 2009 and 2010 she was assigned to the World Bank in Washington DC, as the Government of Trinidad and Tobago’s representative to the World Bank; situated in the office of the Executive Director with responsibility for Brazil, Columbia, the Philippines, Suriname, Haiti, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago. Upon her return from Washington DC, Mrs. Taylor- Lee Chee was again assigned to the EMD, but this time as Assistant Director in charge of the Debt Management Unit.
Mrs. Taylor-Lee Chee possesses a B.Sc. degree in Economics from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine (1991) and a Masters of Business Administration, Heriot Watt University (2007). She has also benefited from numerous training programmes and seminars on various topics of relevance to the Ministry of Finance including Fiscal Policy, Financial Programming and Debt Management.
Michelle Durham-Kissoon
Permanent Secretary
Mrs. Michelle Durham-Kissoon has been appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance with effect from Wednesday 2nd November, 2016. Mrs. Durham-Kissoon has over twenty-three years’ experience in mobilising external project financing and managing Trinidad and Tobago’s engagements with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs).
Mrs. Michelle Durham-Kissoon has been appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance with effect from Wednesday 2nd November, 2016. Mrs. Durham-Kissoon has over twenty-three years’ experience in mobilising external project financing and managing Trinidad and Tobago’s engagements with Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs). Her external financing experience began in the early 1990’s in the Ministry of Planning and Development with the mobilisation of European Development Fund (EDF) grant resources for Social Infrastructure under the Lome IV Convention.
She also played a significant role in mobilising millions of dollars in Inter-American Development Bank loan and grant resources for the financing of various projects and programs across sectors of the economy at both Ministry of Planning and Development and Ministry of Finance.
In addition, Mrs. Durham-Kissoon has spent the past seven years defining policy positions for articulation by the Minister of Finance in his capacity as Governor for Trinidad and Tobago for both the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund. Her responsibilities in this area culminated in her assignment for the past two years, when Mrs. Durham-Kissoon was nominated by the Government as Advisor for the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at the Board of Executive Directors of the World Bank Group. There, she championed issues such as advocacy against the loss of correspondent banking relationships arising from the de-risking activities of international banks as well as for the development of unique financial instruments to cater for the special needs of Small States.
Jennifer Lutchman
Permanent Secretary
Ms. Jennifer Lutchman was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance with effect from March 08, 2021. Ms. Lutchman joined the Ministry in 2017 as Deputy Permanent Secretary, after spending most of her career in the Auditor General’s Department where she was involved in the planning, execution and review of financial audits of Statutory Boards
Ms. Jennifer Lutchman was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance with effect from March 08, 2021. Ms. Lutchman joined the Ministry in 2017 as Deputy Permanent Secretary, after spending most of her career in the Auditor General’s Department where she was involved in the planning, execution and review of financial audits of Statutory Boards and Similar Bodies as well as Value for Money Audits at State Entities.
Prior to her appointment as Permanent Secretary, Ms. Lutchman was assigned to the Investments Division and contributed her extensive wealth of knowledge and experience in the accounting and auditing field, to the effective monitoring and oversight of State Agencies.
Ms. Lutchman is currently responsible for oversight of effectiveness, efficiency and the control environment within the Ministry as well as State Agencies. Her portfolio also includes Internal Audit and Public Financial Reforms.
Ms. Lutchman has been a Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants since 2002 and a Fellow of the Association since 2007.Trained by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions as a Quality Assurance Reviewer and ISSAI Facilitator, Ms. Lutchman assisted in the strengthening of policies and procedures in the Auditor General’s Department and has facilitated the re-engineering of its processes to ensure compliance with international standards.
Ms. Lutchman possesses a Masters of Business Administration from the Anglia Ruskin University and has also benefitted from many training opportunities on related fields.
Dexter Jaggernauth
Permanent Secretary (Ag.)
Mr. Dexter Jaggernauth was appointed Permanent Secretary (Ag.) in the Ministry of Finance with effect from October 5th, 2023.
Mr. Jaggernauth holds a B.Sc. in Economics (Upper Second Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies and a Masters of Business Administration from Edinburgh Business School, U.K. He is a Chartered Certified Accountant by profession and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), U.K.
Mr. Dexter Jaggernauth was appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance with effect from October 5th, 2023.
Mr. Jaggernauth holds a B.Sc. in Economics (Upper Second Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies and a Masters of Business Administration from Edinburgh Business School, U.K. He is a Chartered Certified Accountant by profession and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA), U.K.
Mr. Jaggernauth’s current portfolio includes:
1. Formulation of a Five-year Strategic Plan for the Ministry of Finance;
2. Implementation of a Pension Plan for Daily Rated Employees in the Public Service; and
3. Supporting preparations of the National Budget.
Previously, Mr. Jaggernauth worked with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in Barbados as Project Operations Analyst, assessing and supervising institutional aspects of economic infrastructure projects in Caribbean member countries.
As a Trinidad and Tobago representative in the World Bank’s Voice Secondment Programme, Mr. Jaggernauth worked in the World Bank’s Financial Management Unit, where he assisted in improving audit controls for World Bank projects including Electricity and Water Projects across Sub Sahara Africa as part of the overall Governance and Anti-corruption Agenda.
Mr. Jaggernauth has also participated at the IMF in Financial Programming and Policy, including analysis of Real, Monetary, Fiscal and External Sectors of a country entering financial crisis, developing strategies to reverse the effect of the crisis.
Mr. Jaggernauth’s training also includes the McGill Executive Certificate Programme in International Development and Risk Management Training from the Caribbean Development Bank.
Yvonne Neemacharan
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Ag)
Ms. Yvonne Neemacharan has been appointed to act Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance effective 2nd, May 2016. Ms. Neemacharan began her career in the Public Service in November 1988 as a Temporary Clerk 1 within the Treasury Division.
Ms. Yvonne Neemacharan has been appointed to act Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance effective 2nd, May 2016. Ms. Neemacharan began her career in the Public Service in November 1988 as a Temporary Clerk 1 within the Treasury Division.
She remained dedicated and continued to serve in the Treasury Division for twenty-seven (27) years where she held numerous job positions. Her last position with the Division was Treasury Director, Pensions Management Branch.
In November 2015, Ms. Neemacharan was appointed to act Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. A position she held until her appointment with the Ministry of Finance.
Ms. Neemacharan was involved in several projects within her tenure at the Treasury Division and as Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary in Ministry of Social Development.
Naleisha Bally
Deputy Permanent Secretary (Ag)
Ms Naleisha Bally a Certified Chartered Accountant having qualified in 2007 with the Association of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) and became Fellow in 2017. She also hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Heriot Watt University in England.
Ms Naleisha Bally a Certified Chartered Accountant having qualified in 2007 with the Association of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA) and became Fellow in 2017. She also hold a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the Heriot Watt University in England.
Ms. Bally is highly motivated career Public Servant having worked in various positions throughout the Public service for the past thirty-five (35) years, and is currently involved in the financial management accounting systems implemented by the Treasury Division for the Public Service. This includes; ensuring proper accountability and transparency of all public monies collected on behalf of the Government, represent the Treasury Division at Committee meetings both internally and externally, provide advice and guidance to Ministries /Departments/Divisions/Agencies and oversee the Public Financial Management Reform Programmes such as:
– Implementation of the Integrated Financial Management Information Systems (IFMIS)
– Introduction of International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)
– Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Systems, and
– Reform of the Internal Audit in Ministries and Departments within the Public Services.