CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

Controversial ruling United Workers Party parlia-mentarian, Rufus Bousquet, will rejoin the Cabinet in the 18-month-old Stephenson King administration.

Confirmation of the move came Wednesday by Prime Minister King in his third televised address to the nation in as many weeks.

Bousquet's return comes at the end of a protracted dispute within King's administration over a number of contentious issues which threatened to topple the government.

In the announced Cabinet reshuffle, King said that Bousquet has been appointed minister for trade, industry, commerce, con-sumer affairs and investment.

Highly-prized portfolio

He will also take ministerial responsibility for the highly-prized National Development Corporation, a vital agency in the country's investment programme.

The agency was formerly under the control of the former National Development and Economic Planning Minister, Senator Ausbert d'Auvergne, who resigned under pressure from Bousquet and others.

Bousquet was fired as foreign affairs minister last June by King's predecessor, the late Sir John Compton, for allegedly flouting directives pertaining to the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Taiwan.

In outlining other changes, King said that the reshuffled Cabinet will affect his own portfolio as well as two other Cabinet Ministers.

"The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Planning, Investment and National Development has been realigned to the Ministry of Finance while the portfolio of investment and the subject of the National Development Corporation, will be allocated to the Ministry of Trade Industry Commerce and Consumer Affairs," King said.

PM's responsibility

He said, as prime minister, his ministerial responsibilities will include International Financial Services, Economic Affairs, Economic Planning, National Development and External Affairs.

With Bousquet taking over all the portfolios held by Senator Guy Mayers, the former trade minister will now assume responsibility for the police and fire departments as Minister for Home Affairs and National Security.

Castries Central Member of Parliament Richard Frederick has had environment added to his housing, physical planning, and urban renewal portfolios.