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Friday, January 12, 2007 – Prime Minister the Right Honourable Sir
John Compton with the backing of Members of Parliament appointed the first ever
female Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Former Government Minister and Opposition Parliamentarian Mrs Sarah Flood-Beaubrun
is the first woman since the country attained independence in 1979 and youngest
individual to preside over the house. Mrs. Beaubrun was sworn in Tuesday morning
at the 9th session of the Parliament of Saint Lucia.
In accepting the position, the Speaker of the House thanked parliamentarians for
supporting her appointment and welcomed the confidence placed in her to conduct
the business of Parliament.
On the heels of the appointment of Mrs Flood-Beaubrun was the appointment of
another woman Dr. Rosemarie Husbands Mathurin as President of the Senate. This
represented another first in Saint Lucia’s parliamentary life, bringing to three
the number of women occupying the highest offices of government in Saint Lucia.
The two, Mrs Flood-Beaubrun and Mrs Husbands-Mathruin, joined the longest
serving and first female Governor General Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy.
In the Throne Speech, Her Excellency welcomed the Speaker of the House of
Assembly and President of the Senate, saying their appointment is a proud
achievement for Saint Lucia and demonstrates to the rest of the world that Saint
Lucian women have “emerged from the shadows and have taken centre stage in the
affairs of our nation and set an example to other.”
Meanwhile, Parliament, on the recommendation of the Prime Minister elected
Honourable Marcus Nicholas the Parliamentary Representative for Dennery North as
Deputy Speaker of the House. Honourable Nicholas who had previously been
appointed a minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
resigned to take up the position.
The Prime Minister informed Parliament that an invitation to the Opposition
Leader Dr Kenny D. Anthony to nominate a Deputy Speaker from the ranks of the
Opposition had been declined.
The extension of such an invitation by Government to the Opposition is an
unprecedented parliamentary courtesy aimed at building a bridge in a political
chasm left by the recently held general elections. This would have set a
precedent for the sharing of the responsibility for the conduct of parliament by
Government and the Opposition. The Prime Minister said that in this regard a
glorious opportunity had been missed and this was very much to be regretted.
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