Analyst: Holder likely to return as Speaker

Former MP Arthur Holder is expected to return as Speaker of the House of Assembly when Parliament convenes this Friday, the first speaker to come from outside the lower chamber under a constitutional amendment, political analyst Peter Wickham said Tuesday.

Wickham described the choice as “pretty clear,” noting that Holder, who has held the position since 2018, is “in a position to return as Speaker”.

He added: “I can’t think of anybody who is more qualified than him.”

Wickham explained that the fact that Parliament is now to have an independent speaker does not mean that a person who was previously in a political capacity cannot return as an independent because “we have enough precedent of that happening”.

He said: “I anticipate that it will be him. I suspect there will be very few other applicants at this stage.”

The first speaker of the 387-year-old Parliament to sport lengthy dreadlocks, the seasoned lawyer, known for his frank but laid-back manner, served since June 2018 as MP for St Michael Central, until January, when he announced his exit from elective politics. He then endorsed Tyra Trotman MP as his successor.

Holder was called to the Bar in 2000, elevated to Senior Counsel in 2023. With a graduate degree in social work, he brings prior experience from the Child Care Board and National Council on Substance Abuse as a manager and programme officer. 

As Speaker, he has also been active in international parliamentary affairs, presenting papers at events like ParlAmericas in 2022 and the Parliamentarians for Global Action Forum, and chairing workshops on parliamentary cybersecurity. (BT)