St. George’s, March 2, 2012 – A new employment position is being created in the Office of Prime Minister Tillman Thomas.

Reports are that a senior public servant, who only months ago was named to a high-paying regional diplomatic position, has now been chosen as the first Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister.

A source, who says he welcomes the appointment of the Chief of Staff, describes the person as a “political strategist who was involved in the NDC’s successful 2008 election campaign.’’

The appointment of a Chief of Staff comes as another NDC activist, Vincent Robert, appears to be back in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), after resigning a government job in 2010 to carry out fulltime party work.

Vincent Roberts, former NDC Public Relations Officer, has been referred to in recent media reports as “IT Advisor’’ in the PMO. However, there has been no official announcement of his rehiring by government.

The PMO includes several ministries and departments, including the Government Information Service (GIS), where several changes are about to be made.

Government is said to be restructuring GIS and recently brought in a regional consultant whose help they are seeking with the exercise.

It is also rumoured that room in being made to add a new employee to GIS; someone described by her friends as a Guyanese-born media professional and “very close friend’’ of a senior government minister.

Apart from GIS, the PMO is also responsible Legal Affairs, National Security, Public Administration, Information, Information & Communication Technology, National Mobilization, Environment, Foreign Trade and Export Development.

The PMO staff includes Minister of State, Senator Glen Noel; advisors and a press secretary; and two permanent secretaries, Ann Isaac and Sybil Alexander.