The new transport minister learnt of his appointment to the Cabinet only the night before the swearing-in ceremony yesterday.

David Burt, the Premier, said both Neville Tyrrell and Renée Ming had been informed on Wednesday night.

Mr Burt added: “There were two members of caucus offered positions, and both members of caucus accepted those positions.”

Mr Tyrrell, who replaced Zane DeSilva, will take over half of the former tourism and transport ministry, with Mr Burt adding tourism to his responsibilities.

Mr Tyrrell said: “I have a wealth of experience in serving government.

“I’ve been on several government boards and I certainly have business experience. I’ve worked for two large companies in my career.”

The 72-year-old Warwick South Central MP added: “In fact, I am really supposed to be retired, but my arm got twisted.”

Mr Tyrrell, speaking at the swearing-in ceremony at Government House, said his top priority in the new role would be the new airport terminal.

Mr Burt agreed.

He said his new minister would go “right into the frying pan with the airport that is about to open and the challenge with their contract”.

Mr Tyrrell will also have responsibility for public transport and the island’s air and shipping registries.

He said his appointment showed there was “a lot of talent in the back bench”.

He added: “I commit myself to being minister and serving the people in the way I have always done.”

Mr Tyrell said his predecessor had “done some very good groundwork that I hope to be briefed on very shortly”.

He added: “We only talked last night about me taking on the role, so I obviously have to see what’s ahead of me.”

Mr Tyrrell, who was elected to the House of Assembly in a by-election in December 2016, has worked at telecommunications firm Cable & Wireless and Colonial Pension Services.

He has sat on the Race Relations Council, the Broadcasting Commission and the Bermuda Council for Drug-Free Sport.

Mr Tyrrell is also a former president of the Bermuda Football Association.

Mr DeSilva was forced to stand down after he and Wayne Caines, the former national security minister, were caught on camera in breach of strict Covid-19 regulations at a private dinner party at Blu Restaurant in Warwick on July 3.