The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines House of Assembly convened its first regular sitting on Thursday following the formal installation of two senior legislative administrative leaders: Jenielle Lewis-Browne as the new full-time Clerk of the House, and Rachelle Chance as her Deputy Clerk. The official announcement of the appointments was delivered from the presiding chair by House Speaker Ronnia Durham-Balcombe, who confirmed that Lewis-Browne had formally assumed her clerkship duties on October 1. The milestone appointment process caps a nearly three-year period of administrative upheaval for the legislature, sparked by a legal challenge filed by the national Public Service Union that resulted in a landmark December 2025 High Court ruling. That judicial decision formally nullified the 2023 appointments of former Clerk Deborah Charles and former Deputy Clerk Simone Williams-Huggins, voiding their tenure on procedural grounds. In the immediate aftermath of the court’s verdict, the government tapped veteran public servant Nicole Herbert — who had previously retired from the clerk’s post in June 2023 — to serve in an acting capacity to keep the legislature’s administrative operations running smoothly while a permanent hiring process was completed. During Thursday’s session, Speaker Durham-Balcombe led a formal motion of gratitude for Herbert’s steady, dedicated service through the transitional period, before extending a warm welcome to the newly appointed senior administrative team. Prime Minister Godwin Friday took the floor shortly after to endorse the new hires, noting that both Lewis-Browne and Chance bring proven professional expertise to their roles, and confirming that his administration would extend full, unreserved cooperation to the pair as they settle into their duties. Deputy Prime Minister St. Clair Leacock followed with his own remarks, contextualizing the appointments by noting that the two new senior staff bring complementary levels of institutional experience: one is a longstanding familiar face within the House’s administrative ranks, while the other joins from an external public service role, bringing fresh perspectives to the team. Leacock extended his personal congratulations on their elevation to two of the most senior non-elected positions in the national legislature, noting he looked forward to collaborating with them in the storied, longstanding chamber of the House of Assembly. Prior to her appointment as Clerk, Lewis-Browne served as a senior legal officer attached to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Foreign Investment and Diaspora Affairs, bringing deep knowledge of public sector procedural law and governance to her new post. Cross-partisan support for the new appointments was evident across both government and opposition benches during the sitting. Opposition Senator Carlos James offered his full well-wishes to the pair, specifically noting that Rachelle Chance has served on the House’s administrative staff for many years, and is exceptionally well-positioned to meet and exceed the high expectations of her deputy clerk role. Government Senator Chelsea Alexander spoke on behalf of absent Deputy Speaker Senator Jamali John, delivering a formal message of congratulations to both new senior administrators as they take on their critical roles supporting all legislative business. Alexander also relayed Deputy Speaker John’s personal gratitude to former acting Clerk Nicole Herbert for the extensive guidance she provided during his own recent transition into his presiding officer role, noting that he looked forward to close collaboration with the new administrative leadership team to uphold the House’s longstanding rules, protocols, and distinguished parliamentary traditions.
New House clerk, deputy congratulated during their first sitting
