BY JULIE CARRINGTON | MAR 21, 2022
Barbados’ newest senator Gregory Nicholls takes the Oath of Office before President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason and her Private Secretary, Sandra Watkins at State House, today. (C. Pitt/BGIS)
Barbados’ newest senator Gregory Nicholls is looking forward to serving for a second time, particularly in an environment in which governance has become more complex and challenging.
Mr. Nicholls, who was appointed as a Senator in 2003-2008, took the Oath of Office before President of Barbados, The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, which was witnessed by his mother Norma Nicholls; wife Nesha Raja; Deputy Prime Minister, Santia Bradshaw, and Senior Ministers, Dale Marshall; Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, and Kerrie Symmonds, today at State House.
Speaking to the media following the ceremony, the Senator said he looked forward to participating in the Estimates Debate later in the week and acknowledged that serving in this time was quite different from his previous tenure, when the “big issue” was moving towards a single market and economy.
Since then, Senator Nichollls pointed out, the world went into a financial crisis, in the late 2000s and “we have seen the tumultuous changes, climate change, the whole change in the attitudes of government is much more difficult to build consensus across political lines all over the world”.
“We are seeing now war and the effects of war and tactical aggression and the issues of small island states still are on the forefront. Sustainable development is going to be a much harder task for countries like Barbados. We still have to grapple with issues of economic growth; how do we pull people out of poverty; how do we protect the rights of vulnerable people in the country and society and also be a champion for vulnerable groups of people elsewhere in the world. So, it is much more complex, but it is facilitated a lot easier with the use…and reach of technology to do what we have to do,” Senator Nicholls underlined.
The attorney-at-law and a champion for workers’ rights and legal issues pledged to continue lending his voice in the Senate in these areas, given his years of experience.
Senator Nicholls also promised to speak on health issues; contributing to the shaping and crafting of important policies to improve working conditions for Barbadians.
He thanked the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve, adding: “We all know the circumstances in which the Prime Minister and the Government’s wish to have another Senator have not come to pass and I am reflective about the whole process.”
He continued: “I’ve been given my remit so to speak, on issues of which the Government would want stronger representation on, and I think that that we will have a good time there. I’ve been there in the past and I should say thanks again to Prime Minister Mottley because were it not for her, on the first occasion I would not have been appointed to the Senate….”
