In a formal ceremony held at Government House on Monday, Malaka Parker took the oath of office to become the newest opposition senator, with Deputy Governor General Sir Clare Roberts presiding over the investiture.
Parker’s path to the senate followed a slight delay: she was unable to attend the original swearing-in event held last week, after opposition officials confirmed she had to travel overseas for unforeseen, extenuating circumstances. On Monday, she finally received her official instruments of appointment and completed the required oath to formally take up her seat.
This appointment marks the final step in filling the opposition’s full slate of representation in the Senate’s Upper House, and it comes just two days before the chamber is scheduled to hold its next sitting on Wednesday.
Leading up to Monday’s ceremony, opposition leadership released a public statement over the weekend addressing their absence from the event. Opposition Leader Jamale Pringle and Member of Parliament for Barbuda Trevor Walker both confirmed they are currently outside the country attending to personal matters, and expressed regret that they could not be present for Parker’s swearing-in. Despite their unavoidable absence, the pair extended warm congratulations to Parker, and offered their well wishes for what they described as a productive and successful tenure serving on the Senate’s opposition bench.