FIRST MINISTER Peter Robinson has appointed two new DUP Ministers to the Northern Executive but dropped culture, arts and leisure minister Edwin Poots from his team, despite an implicit character reference by the Rev Ian Paisley.
East Derry MP and MLA Gregory Campbell was appointed to replace Mr Poots while the other newcomer is East Antrim MP and MLA Sammy Wilson who takes over the Department of the Environment.
DUP deputy leader and North Belfast MP and MLA Nigel Dodds wins the biggest promotion, moving to the Department of Finance, previously run by Mr Robinson.
Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly member Arlene Foster also gains a significant promotion. She moves from environment to take over Mr Dodds' former Department of Enterprise, Trade and Industry.
Lagan Valley MP and MLA Jeffrey Donaldson remains as a junior minister in the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister.
The departure of Mr Poots, who took his last question time in the Assembly chamber yesterday, was well flagged. When Dr Paisley delivered his farewell rally speech in south Belfast last Friday week he paid special tribute to the Lagan Valley MLA, who is son of one of his best friends, Charlie Poots.
While that was interpreted as a parting suggestion to his successor that Mr Poots should remain in office, Mr Robinson decided not to heed this implicit advice from Dr Paisley, another marking of the transition from the Paisley to the Robinson era.
The First Minister, in his reshuffle, which follows the retirement of Dr Paisley and his replacement by Mr Robinson, indicated that Mr Poots still had a ministerial future.
"I particularly want to thank Edwin Poots for his work over the last year and I will be keen to see him return to ministerial office in the near future. He has a proven track record and will undoubtedly play an integral role within the party in the next period of time," said Mr Robinson.
Mr Poots said that he had enjoyed a "great 13 months" on the Northern Executive and was not feeling either disappointed or sour.
He was a strong proponent of the proposed stadium at the Maze. Many DUP members opposed the stadium because it would also include a conflict transformation centre, which some saw as being a "shrine" to the hunger strikers.
His dismissal from office could pave the way for Mr Robinson to more formally ditch or shelve the project. Mr Robinson has also indicated that it may not be feasible because it would be too costly.
Mr Poots reached across the political and religious divide during his term in office and also had positive relations with the GAA, something of a departure for a DUP politician.
To the annoyance of Sinn Féin, however, Mr Poots refused to proceed with the Irish Language Act, which the British and Irish governments promised in the St Andrews Agreement, and which is one of the reasons for recent tensions between Sinn Féin and the DUP.
Mr Campbell is similarly opposed to the Irish Language Act.
Nationalists nonetheless will be keenly observing whether Mr Campbell, who has a reputation as a hardliner, will engage in similar community outreach to Mr Poots.
There also will be curiosity about how Mr Wilson settles into his environment department. Last year he won a sardonic award from the Young Greens Society because of his support for nuclear power.
Mr Robinson said DUP Ministers had made a significant contribution to Northern Ireland.
"I want to show the depth of talent in the party and to use it effectively. I intend to consider another reshuffle in 18 months' time. For the DUP politics is not about positions, it is about service," he added.
