Two new appointments were formalised at Government House this week as Senator Joel Anderson Rayne was sworn in as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Corporate Governance and Public Private Partnerships, and Tiffany Anthea Lauren Strann-Peters took the oath of office as senator.
Rayne's appointment as Parliamentary Secretary came just days after his May 8 swearing-in as senator. Governor General Sir Rodney Williams, presiding over the ceremony, said the role demands discipline, dedication and a strong commitment to public service, and affirmed that Rayne had earned the confidence placed in him.
Describing the moment as "surreal," Rayne expressed gratitude to God, Prime Minister Gaston Browne and Cabinet for entrusting him with the position. He used the occasion to encourage others not to place limits on their ambitions, saying that dreams can be achieved regardless of timing.
Strann-Peters described her own appointment as a "full circle moment" and offered a message of perseverance to young women, reminding them that delays do not mean dreams are denied.
Sir Rodney also took the opportunity to highlight the growing representation of women in national politics. With Strann-Peters' appointment, there are now six female government senators and eight women serving across Antigua and Barbuda's 34-member Parliament — among the highest levels of female parliamentary representation in the country's history.
