Former government Minister Rene Baptiste was sworn in as a senator on Friday (14 January) 2022.
Baptiste was sworn in before the restart of the Budget debate, which was suspended on Tuesday 11 January, due to eight government MP’s contracting COVID-19.
“When I received the call from Gonsalves, I was silent for a while, and then said undoubtedly”, Baptiste said.
Gonsalves said Baptiste had demitted her post as the chairman of Vinlec, the St Vincent Electricity Services Limited.
Baptiste, a former government MP, held office from 2001 to 2010. Baptiste served as Minister of Tourism and Culture: 17th April 2001 – 9th November 2009 and Ministry of Urban Development, Culture, Labour and Electoral Matters: 29th December 2005 – 9th November 2010.
Baptiste who was elected as the first speaker of the Organisation of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Assembly was reelected for a third time as the Speaker on Monday, June 17 2019.
Baptiste replaces Senator Rochard Boller, who was sworn in following the 2020 elections.