Members of Parliament Sworn in

The 63 Members of Parliament (MPs) who won their seats in the September 3 General Election were sworn in on September 18, at the opening of the new Parliament at Gordon House.

Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness, was elected as Speaker of the House of Representatives, while MP for Central St. James, Heroy Clarke, was elected as Deputy Speaker.

In his remarks, Prime Minister, Dr the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, said: “We are here not for ourselves but for Jamaica.

“Today is a reaffirmation of the mandate given by the people, a recommitment by all of us in this House to service and a solemn reminder of the weight of responsibilities that rests upon us all,” he said.

He expressed thanks to the Almighty and extended gratitude to the people of St. Andrew West Central and the people of Jamaica.

“I extend gratitude to the people of West Central St. Andrew who have sent me here and to the people of Jamaica who have participated in the democratic process, whether or not they voted for me… that they have participated is the important thing, it is they who have established the Government,” he said.

He reminded the Members of Parliament that they have been elected to serve their constituents.

“Whether you sit on the opposition side, let us never forget that we are here, not for ourselves but for Jamaica. Each of us has been sent here by the people, to carry their concerns, to amplify their aspirations and to frame into law and policy the hopes and dreams of all our citizens,” Dr. Holness said.

He pledged to serve with vision, wisdom and integrity during the third term of the Government.

“It is here within these walls that vision must be translated into legislation, that wisdom must be sharpened through debate, and that integrity must be lived out in the decisions and in the actions that we take,” he said.

“Together over the last nine years, we have walked a long road. We have halved the national debt, restored fiscal stability, created historic levels of employment and halved poverty; we have built new infrastructure, increased wages, invested in health, education and we have halved murders in this country and we have brought crime down to 30-year lows; yet, as I have said before, today is not about resting on our laurels,” Dr. Holness said.

For his part, Leader of the Opposition, Mark Golding, congratulated the MPs duly elected and expressed hope that the Government and Opposition can work together to move the country forward.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Holness urged members of the House to keep the discourse respectful and focused on the interests of the people of Jamaica.

“In my previous term as Speaker, we made meaningful progress from fostering robust debates on legislative reforms, to renovating the members’ lounge and enhancing the comfort and convenience of our physical space,” she said.

She committed to pursuing even greater reforms and transformative initiatives to make the Parliament more efficient, dignified, and accessible.

“It is my duty as Speaker not only to identify opportunities for greater efficiency but also to guide and remind all of us of the requirements of the Standing Orders in the spirit of balance, fairness and good order. The Speaker does not make the rules but humbly and, if necessary, firmly ensures that they are followed by all members without fear or favour,” Mrs. Holness said.

“It is with this in mind that I will continue with our partnership within the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for the comprehensive review of the Standing Orders for the Houses of Parliament to plug any gaps identified, modernise procedures and give clearer guidance on complex processes,” she added.

She informed that the redraft will soon be placed before the Standing Orders Committee for vetting and deliberation before it is tabled in the House.

The swearing-in of the MPs followed the installation of 21 members of the Senate.

Senator Tom Tavares-Finson was reelected President of the Senate, while Senator Charles Sinclair will serve as his Deputy.