By CANDIA DAMES,Guardian News Editor,candia@nasguard.com

Six months after he was transferred from the Ministry of Public Works to act in the post of financial secretary, Colin Higgs has returned as the ministry's permanent secretary.

Former Secretary for Revenue Ehurd Cunningham also has a new post — acting financial secretary. The Nassau Guardian understands that no one has yet been named secretary for revenue.

Higgs has returned as permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Works for a third time. He was sent back there from the Ministry of Finance this week after Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham — in a controversial move — chose former retired permanent secretary Anita Bernard as secretary to the Cabinet.

Her appointment has created disaffection among some senior civil servants because she was called out of retirement last year to serve as the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Public Works before being chosen Cabinet secretary, the most senior of permanent secretaries. The concern is that senior permanent secretaries were overlooked for the top post.

The appointment of a secretary to the Cabinet is the only senior appointment reserved for the prime minister in the constitution, Prime Minister Ingraham recently noted. All other appointments are made by the governor general on the recommendation of one of the service commissions.

In the middle of last year, the government announced changes to the placement of permanent secretaries. At that time, Bernard's appointment to Public Works was announced.

Yesterday, Higgs told The Nassau Guardian that he returns to the ministry at a time when it is involved in two major capital works projects — the New Providence Road Improvement Project and the Nassau Harbour dredging. The government had indicated that dredging of the harbor would start before the end of 2008, but Minister of Public Works Neko Grant recently confirmed to The Guardian that that deadline was not met.

Higgs said that bidding for the project should soon be completed.