By: T. Chapman
Hon. Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds was sworn in as the Nevis Reformation Party first elected female parliamentarian earlier today during an Emergency Sitting of the Nevis Island Assembly which was convened to address a State of Emergency Resolution.
Mrs. Cleone Stapleton-Simmonds made her entry into the Nevis Island Assembly some 42 days after she soundly defeated the CCM candidate Keith Scarborough at the polls on March 05th 2020. The St.Thomas seat became vacant after former Premier Joseph Parry, retired at the end of December, 2019.
As the newest and youngest member of the parliament, Mrs. Stapleton Simmonds expressed gratitude to all who were instrumental in ensuring her safe journey to the assembly.
During her opening statement, she said:
It is indeed an honour for me to stand before you today and to set my footing in this honourable house. As a child this was perhaps a dream of mine that I perhaps did not foresee in this near future. I did anticipate that perhaps this dream might have come true at some point when I was perhaps in my mid-forties but it is indeed a pleasure for me to stand here just being the mere age of 37 and perhaps being the youngest member of this honourable parliament…
As the fourth woman parliamentarian, Stapleton-Simmonds expressed that she is very pleased to join with the nominated member, Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams.
She also expressed thanks to the Almighty, former Premier, Joseph Parry and her family.
Simmonds said:
I wish to take this opportunity to thank God Almighty for giving me the guidance, the strength and the wisdom to be able to successfully embark on this journey. I also wish to thank my predecessor the Hon. Joseph Parry for laying the foot path for me to be able to follow into his footsteps.
I thank my immediate family: my husband and my son who are present here today, as well as my father and my two siblings who were able to grace us with their presence this morning.
