By Carlena Knight
Long-time member of the Barbuda People’s Movement (BPM) Fabian Jones was sworn in for a second consecutive term as the senator representing the sister isle on the opposition’s side.
Jones, who was sworn in on Friday afternoon in the Upper House alongside the other senators on both the government and opposition benches, was first appointed to the Senate in 2018.
Joining him, but on the government’s end, and also representing Barbuda, was Knacynter Nedd-Charles
Alincia Williams-Grant was returned, unopposed, as President of the Senate, while Senator Osbert Frederick was sworn in as the Deputy President of the Senate. He, too, was unopposed for the role.
Meanwhile, former St Mary’s South MP Samantha Marshall was sworn in as Leader of Government Business in the Senate, taking over from Senator Mary-Claire Hurst who also returned to the Upper House but is now the Deputy Leader of Government Business.
Collin O’Neal Browne, David Shoul and Shenella Govia were also returned to the Upper House on the government’s side, while Caleb Gardiner, Clement Antonio, and Rawdon Turner were the newcomers.
At 23 years old, Gardiner is the second youngest ever to be sworn in to the Upper House, after Govia who, at 22, was the youngest when she took the oath in 2014.
Also returning to the Senate on the opposition benches were Jonathan Joseph, trade unionist David Massiah, and Shawn Nicholas.
Nicholas also now holds the position of Senate Minority Leader, taking over from newly elected MP for St John’s Rural West, Richard Lewis.
Alex Browne, who contested last month’s general election for the first time in St Philip’s North, is the only newcomer to the Senate for the opposition United Progressive Party, while Kiz Johnson, who is the seventh woman sworn into the Upper House of Parliament, is an independent senator.
Johnson succeeds the previous Governor General’s appointee, Bakesha Francis-James, who served since the 2018 general election.