The government will be nominating Alix Boyd-Knights as Speaker of the House in the new term, prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit has announced.
Additionally two new senators were named to be on the government’s side in the house of parliament.
They are president of the National Youth Council (NYC), Jahsiah Benoit and general secretary of the Dominica Labour Party, Edward Registe.
“I will say, finally and respect to parliament, that the government side will nominate Alix Boyd-Knights to be the Speaker of the House of Assembly,” Skerrit said during the swearing in of the new ministers on Saturday.
In announcing Benoit as the new senator the prime minister noted that his government will “continue to empower our youth through education and training.”
“Our young men and women are the builders of the new Dominica,” he said. “It is for this reason in 2004 the National Youth Policy was formulated to ensure that young people were empowered to drive the economic and social development of the nation. I will tell you tonight the new senator in the house will be the president of the NYC Mr. Benoit.”
He stated that the final senator will Edward Registe of Grand Bay.
Boyd-Knights has been the longest serving Speaker of the House in the history of Dominica. She was first elected in April 2000 and was re-elected in July 2005 and February 2010.
How can any one dictate to the President and Prime Minister of the state who they must employ as speaker of the house is beyond me. A job has a job description, . To fit this description, one must have
Qualities
Experience
Expertise..
Alix has all three and more hense the reason she is the best person for the job.. Had the opposition been cooperative , there would not be so much discord in the house.. It takes 2 to tango. When the members in the opposition start behaving like adults, then Alix will treat them as such, in the meantime they deserve the treatment which they are getting..
The New Dominica????
What about Athenia Benjamin for senator, Mr PM. Have you just dumped her? She won’t take this lightly.
I have to laugh, you mean she won’t take this lying down? I hope she open her mouth and spill the beans.
Contrary to Mr. Skerrit’s utterings I do not believe him when he says the political hunting season is closed. I have reserved my seat to watch an epic battle of wits and cunning between the old speaker and the opposition. The old speaker is like the formidable, but immovable Maginot line the French built to keep out the Germans but they simply outflanked it and left it isolated. Free fireworks are coming and I’m looking forward to it.
Bullhorn went out of fashion decades ago. We badly need a modern speaker now, not a creaking bullhorn.
At last a cross section of Dominica is represented in the house, even the minority group! Welcome Ed!!!
Some of you all so ridiculous….you all talking about Mrs. Boyd-Knights being biased and a supporter of the DLP but in the same breath you all suggesting that Timothy or Walter be Speaker of the house. SMDH! Better to be thought of as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. Lord help our country!!
Think outside the box study the rules of the house and be informed.Public servants should be grateful because across the globe they are down sizing.you think Team Dominica had the answer think again
Ma Knight, that’s a bad move Skerrit made. Best you leave it and go and roll you rosary.
Where is the Olive branch then? Bringing back the Old Speaker is not extending an Olive branch; if you really say you are States man and you have leadership qualities and fairness choose some one less cantangerous – let me help you choose there are people like Mr. Ossie Lewis, Reverend Watty , Sir Brian ALLEYNE; Nicholas George; Reggie Lafleur; Desmond Blanchard oh no his daughter is in parliament; but if you decide to remain partisan better you make Ambrose or Timothy speaker than Alix Boyd Knight.
Tht old speaker again!!! Change d speaker man tht speaker nah good… Weh boy!!!
what did you all expect? some men like to hide behind a woman’s skirt bunch of cowards.
It will not be the same. I expect the 6 UWP representatives plus their senators to be an effective opposition in the house. I expect that they will so adhere to the rules of the house as to give Mrs Boyd-Knights no legitimate reason to show bias. It cannot be that change can only come when the UWP wins the elections. Change can come in stages. We are at a new level. show us that the right decision was made in giving the opposition more strength.
so wha happen? is it the UWP alone that have to obey the rules? So in other words you are giving the lop sided government side a free hand whilst tying down the UWP.
Ones this cantankerous speaker is in the house, the UWP is gonna have a rough ride. Its not the number of seats you have, its who has the ears of the speaker that matters. The house remains mini dictatorship controlled by the speaker, who makes up her ‘own’ draconian rules as she sees fit.
When Skeritt said Dominicans were to free, we took it likely, now it is beginning to bite us. As far as Skeritt is concerned, Dominicans have the freedom to speak and that is as far as it goes. We can speak as much as we want or we can consult as much as we want, it appears, his interest is in what the Bajans have to say. For instance, Mr. Linton talked about I.D. Cards for voting, as far as Skeritt is concerned, his choice is Identification Cards. Team Dominica believes if their is growth in the economy, approximately 5000 Dominicans can be employed in three year, Skeritt has paid no attention to their cries in the wilderness, Skeritt’s solution is an expansion of the NEP. Mr. Linton and many Dominicans are unhappy about Aliks Boyd Knight as Speaker of the house, don’t tell that to Skeritt, again his choice has been made, Aliks, all the way. Mr. Linton along with many Dominicans favor a smaller cabinet, they could not be speaking to him, he has increased his new cabinet. Mr. Arthie Martin asked Skeritt some pertinent questions about Mrs. Francine Baron, is Martin serious, Skeritt has decided to make her a Minister of Government. According to my granny, Skeritt is de hanger for de people of Dominica jacket.
Typo: lightly not likely.
Are you harnessed? People as you do not lose a second in criticizing him. You are the ones who are not good. You are the cause of the hanger. Cease your consistent critique.
alix again? shame on dOMINICA SHAME
Mr. Pm where is Athenian Benjamin? Is there no place for her in the house that she said she WILL be in? Will she really be returning to Canada. I hope she does nor intend to run in Wesley again after being so on the streets the night of December 8th. Bazil!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mr Skeritts hates people from the north east. he did not appoint either Christmas nor Athena Benjamin to parliament
Mr skerrit new idea this lady is trouble maker please give the opposition the opportunity to elect one of its brilliant lady speaker ms monell or ms unica this not a labour party thing remember you deney them to form the next Government by your ……… .I know you cannot sleep and when you ask God forgiveness he will tell you go back and call the election and and let it run on a level playing field
mornell??????hahahahahahahahahaha…u r joking right?
Alix Boyd Knight is an absolute …. to the Parliament and country by extension. She is totally biased and very cantankerous as we say locally a fam debah. She has brought the standards of the House to the gutter, its time to DISCRAD that woman, DISCARD HER.
Dat old speaker that doing that. Dat old speaker it is a fact. Dat old speaker ratatatat.
Whoosh look story. Five more years of dat old speaker. Look roro in the house.
Oh no, not this same speaker for another 5 years, if it reaches that long… This lady needs to go packing, why wSnt mathew walters, Ambrose George, or Tim Tim made speaker. This lady has a pro_ labour bias for yeArs. She is like Skerritt lawyer n shield in the H O A.
Its a sickening feeling just to thing of this lady as speaker. She may be a good lawyer, oh boy, what an out of timing speaker… But tell.her come good this time, team Dominica will not back a way, nor run. No more, street parliament, its in the house for hours.. labour ministers need to sharpen their debating skills…
A word to this young man, Josiah or whatever his name, You were doing a fine job as Nyc leader, but you fell for pie in the sky. YOU wiill soon be a toothless lion.
Oh how human beings are weak, you took Skerritt to shut you up n den bat on his side. Youths need a neutral president, so go n get some ruff up from team Dominica.
Its clear, that you all just money hungry n weakkk. How much were you worth? Hope millions.. Skerritt fooled you in order to ger youths on labour side. You real out of timing. Everytime, you open your mouth, you.gonna be challenged intellectuals like this one……
This is really de end of labour, look who is the other senator.. Everybody getting post… its labour 2014 bingo draw… Thats not a cabinet, but a big bingo draw, winner s take it alllll. Voters nothing for all you. Pwen sa la, labah ka twavye
So Benoit is the next parl rep for Roseau south?
He sang enough for his supper. Shame on you Jahsiah. You still will not win Roseau South come next election God spear.
give d young man a break u ppl always there to bring down someone achievement, he will prove to u come next election he will win,
Bravo Skerro, bravo DLP, bravo, bravo.
I wish to applaud public servants for showing Skeritt who is boss, by voting three candidates of the UWP Team Dominica to the parliament. Most public servants reside, work in Roseau and the environment, therefore, one has to agree they must have supported the UWP. The man appears to have tons of cash at his disposal in order to employ seventeen Ministers plus an Attorney General. The Bajans are boasting of their efforts to re elect him, an effort in cash, which allegedly could be well over five million dollars. The public servants should teach Skeritt another lesson but refusing to accept the 5% offered by him. He had millions to pay foreign artists from all over the world, the Bagans for manifestos, bill boards etc, the Antiguans for sound systems and stage, it is the public servant’s turn to receive their deserved share. They should accept nothing less then 15% over the next three year.
But d ole speaker doesn’t go rest, so long that speaker vibrating a whole bunch of noise in the house. But don’t worry zico and sikri will low down the volume and Lennox will pull out the plug!!!!
Like I said…..more of the same to come.
And jahsiah should resign from the Youth council , because obviously he is on government side, so he cannot be objective at all.
Honestly when I see that young man and hear him speak I’m feeling uneasy. I’m always reminded of a snake in the grass. Just can not bring myself to trust him at all, at all.
I had a Speaker to my stereo set that was not working and so I dumped it. Maybe it sis time that Skerrit get read of this Speaker. My stereo is working much better nw. Maybe if he gets read of this Speaker the House will work better and Dominica will be a the best place to live, enjoy life and to work.
You cannot even spell!! Smh!!
WHY IS THIS WOMAN STILL THERE TO SEAT???? She is very unfair, shows very much her preference! Give someone else that J.O.B!!! PLEASE NOT THIS WOMAN!!!
The new Dominica? hmm and i agree with u mr pm if it’s working in your favor why change it right. smh
Same ol speaker in rotten cabinet