State Counsel II, Treasury Solicitor’s Department, Ministry Of Finance

Ms. Cindy Pierre started her career in the banking sector prior to becoming an Attorney-at-Law. As an employee of RBTT Bank Limited as it was then called, she advised customers on investment portfolios such as money market funds and certificates of deposits, conducted foreign currency transactions and assessed money-laundering risks based on the individual customer profiles.

Ms. Pierre has worked in the Office of the Treasury Solicitor, Ministry of Finance (Office) since 2017 in the capacity of Legal Counsel, Legal Officer, and State Counsel and currently as State Counsel II. Her experience in these roles have been extensive as the Office is responsible for providing legal advice in all matters that impact on the fiscal affairs of the State. In her current role, Ms. Pierre, inter alia, assists in the vetting and preparation of agreements including, guarantees, and loan and bond documents. She participates in local and international negotiations and consultations as it pertains to these documents with a view to providing legal advice. Ms. Pierre contributes to the reviewing of procurement matters within the Ministry in accordance with the various legal and statutory requirements. She also serves on a technical committee that monitors matters affecting banking, economic and financial matters relating to Trinidad and Tobago.

Ms. Pierre graduated with a First Class Honours – Bachelors of Laws from the University of the West Indies- Cave Hill, Barbados, a Legal Education Certificate from the Hugh Wooding Law School and a LLM in Commercial Law from the University of Cambridge, United Kingdom. Prior to her legal studies, Ms. Pierre obtained a BSc. Management Studies (Second Class Honours) from the University of West Indies- St. Augustine.

Ms. Pierre was admitted to the Trinidad and Tobago Bar in 2016 and is a member of the Law Association of Trinidad and Tobago. She has held the position of Corporate Secretary for the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Corporate Governance Institute for the period 2017-2018. Ms. Pierre was appointed a Director of the National Investment Fund Holding Company Limited in March 2022.

Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance

Mr. Dexter Jaggernauth was appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary with effect from January 2023 and Acting Permanent Secretary from October 2023. He was previously the Programme Manager, Strategic Management and Execution Office, Ministry of Finance, providing support for initiatives including the implementation of property tax, activities related to the creation of the Trinidad and Tobago Revenue Authority and formulation of the National Budget and is versed in financial and economic analysis.

Prior to this he worked with the Caribbean Development Bank 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 Program, 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. He has also participated at the International Monetary Fund in financial programming and policy, including analysis of real, monetary, fiscal and external sectors of a country entering financial crisis and developing strategies to reverse the effect of the crisis.

Mr. Jaggernauth holds a BSc. in Economics, (Second Class Honours Upper Division) from the University of the West Indies, and a Masters of Business Administration (Finance Specialism) from Edinburgh Business School, U.K. He is a Chartered Certified Accountant by profession and a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, U.K. His training includes the McGill Executive Certificate Program in International Development and Risk Management Training from the Caribbean Development Bank.

Project Implementation Advisor, Ministry of Finance

Mrs. Nadira Lyder was appointed Project Implementation Advisor, formerly the Head of the Public-Private-Partnership Unit at the Ministry of Finance since August 2015. Prior to this, she had been employed in the public sector of Trinidad and Tobago for over 30 years and brings with her a wide range of experience in public sector transformation, portfolio management, corporate governance and business administration. Due to her extensive experience and qualifications, she also provides technical advice to the executive management of the Ministry of Finance

Mrs. Lyder possesses an Executive Masters in Business Administration with specialisation in Corporate Turnaround and International Marketing from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, University of the West Indies. Additionally, she holds a Diploma in Governance and Public Innovation and certificates including, Industrial 4.0, Business Management, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations and Information Technology.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance

Mrs. Jennifer Lutchman is the current Chairman of the National Investment Fund Holding Company Limited. Mrs. Lutchman has been a Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants since 2002 and a Fellow of the Association since 2007 and has over thirty-eight (38) years of accounting and auditing experience. She also hold a Masters of Business Administration from the Anglia Ruskin University.

She began her career at 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 conducting Value for Money audits. Trained by the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, as a Quality Assurance Reviewer and ISSAI Facilitator she also assisted in the strengthening of policies and procedures in the Auditor General’s Department.

She moved to the Ministry of Finance in 2017 where she was appointed Deputy Permanent Secretary, supporting the oversight of State Enterprises and currently holds the position of Permanent Secretary with responsibility for all arms of auditing and compliance.

She also was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Trinidad and Tobago Mortgage Finance Company Limited, Home Mortgage Bank, Taurus Services Limited and Trinidad Generation Unlimited.