Speaker Informs St. Vincent Parliament Of His Plans To Quit

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, January 24, 2020 (CMC) – The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Jomo Thomas, on Wednesday, informed Parliament of his intention to quit the post, in keeping with the announcement that was first made in October last year.

“Just to say that my time in his chair is coming to an end. I am not so sure how much — I did say in an October 29 press conference that I would be gone by the first quarter of 2020. We are rapidly approaching that time,” Thomas told legislators.

Last October, Thomas, who became Speaker in December 2015, also announced that he had resigned as a member of the ruling Unity Labour Party (ULP), for which he had unsuccessfully contested the South Leeward constituency seat in the 2015 general election.

Thomas told the lawmakers that he enjoyed his tenure as Speaker, adding “it’s an honourable bunch — sometimes can be quite unruly, but I think in the end, all of us come here to serve the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.

He said during his time in the chair, “I never came here thinking that I represented anyone or anything but St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.

“I tried my best, I made errors, I probably made enemies but, in the end, I think I did what my conscience told me was the right thing to do. I want to thank everybody who put up with me and all of my idiosyncrasies and I hope that this august body would grow from strength to strength,” Thomas said.

He, however, gave no indication as to when exactly he intends to vacate the post.

Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, said that whenever Thomas demits office, “we will have to pay the usual respect for someone who has served with us”.

“I just want to indicate that, I don’t know what your timetable is, but I say that, in relation to your own statement in acknowledgement of your contribution.”