The Tribune

PRIME Minister Perry Christie announced seven new senators to be added to the PLP's team in the upper chamber, bringing their total number to nine. The new Senators are Frank Smith, Gregory Burrows, Jerome Gomez, Julian Russell, Gary Sawyer, Alex Storr, and Tanisha Tynes. These seven new senators complement the appointments made last Friday of Mrs Allyson Maynard Gibson and Keith Bell. The Cabinet Office also indicated that the Prime Minister would be advising the Governor-General to appoint three additional senators under article 39 (4) of the constitution following the required consultation with the leader of the opposition. On the appointment of the new senators, Mr Christie said that they collectively represented the youngest group of government senators ever appointed in the history of the Bahamas. This, he said, was yet another early demonstration of his determination to prepare the country for a new generation of leadership. Mr Christie said it was a matter of personal regret that he could not also have appointed Clay Sweeting as a senator as Mr Sweeting is still in his 20s he is not constitutionally eligible to serve in the senate at this time. Mr Christie said that Mr Sweeting would be appointed to another important position so that he could still play a role in national governance. The Prime Minister said that his party's candidate for North Abaco, Renardo Curry had indicated a preference to forego a senatorial appointment in order to put himself in a position of 'maximum readiness' for the anticipated by-election in the North Abaco constituency when former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham officially steps down from his seat on July 19.