Jeevan A. Robinson
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
MNI Alive Media can confirm that Miss Shirley Osborne, daughter of deceased former Chief Minister, Dr John Osborne, has been selected as the new Speaker of Montserrat's Legislative Assembly.
Reports reaching MNI Alive Media from reliable sources indicate that the decision to designate Miss Osborne as Speaker of the House, was reached at a meeting held on the evening of Thursday, November 6, 2014, by members of Executive of the ruling People's Democratic Movement (PDM) Party.
Other individuals who were in the running for the post of Speaker included, Mrs Adelina Tuitt, Miss Laurine Fenton, Miss Shauna Harley and Mr Eugene Skerritt.
During the recently concluded 2014 general elections on Montserrat, Shirley Osborne stood in the role of Chairwoman of the now victorious PDM Party.
Osborne hails from a family of political representation with her deceased father Dr John Alfred Osborne holding the record as the longest serving political leader on Montserrat. Her brother, David Osborne is also actively involved in politics, winning his first term with the former MCAP Administration in 2009, led by former Premier, Reuben T Meade. He stood in the recent 2014 elections, this time however under the PDM party banner, emerging once again victorious.
Prior to Shirley Osborne's designation as Speaker, the position of interim Speaker of the Legislative Assembly on Montserrat currently is being filled by Sir Howard Fergus. Dr Fergus, it was announced in September, at the first sitting of the Assembly under this new PDM Administration, would have remained in the post until a new Speaker was selected and trained towards the requirements of the position.
MNI Alive Media will provide further details as they become available of Miss Osborne's selection, and also when she is expected to officially begin in her post as the new Speaker of Montserrat's Legislative Assembly.
