The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

GOVERNOR General Sir Cornelius Smith is expected to officially swear in 14 senators at a private ceremony today.

Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis has chosen LaShell Adderley, Barry Griffin, Tyrell Young, James Turner-Rolle, Kirkland Russell, Roland Duncombe and Quinton Lightbourne as the Progressive Liberal Party’s senators. Among these, Mr Young, Mr Turner-Rolle and Mr Duncombe were PLP candidates in the recent election.

Randy Rolle, Darren Pickstock and Dr Ericia Hepburn will also be appointed to the Senate according to Article 39 (4) of the constitution which requires that the prime minister consult the leader of the official opposition on the appointments.

Meanwhile, former Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis has chosen former Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield, former Pinewood MP Ruben Rahming, Seabreeze candidate Maxine Seymour and Viana Gardiner, the outgoing head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, as FNM senators.

Mrs Gardiner’s appointment has been controversial in the FNM since news of the move broke, with some in the party saying she lacks strong ties to the FNM. It is not clear if she is a member of the FNM.

The 14 senators will join Attorney General Ryan Pinder and Minister of Economic Affairs Michael Halkitis who were appointed to the Senate last month.

The Senate appointments will come before the official opening of Parliament on Wednesday when the Governor General will read the Speech from The Throne which outlines the priorities and objectives of the new session.

This comes as a document circulated on social media over the weekend purporting to be the official list of statutory boards and committee appointments. Yesterday, the Office of the Prime Minister released a statement saying the document is not official and branded it “fake”.

“At the appropriate time official notice of the appointments will be gazetted and made public,” the OPM said.

The purported list, seen by The Tribune, includes a number of new as well as familiar faces.