Government completes its Senate team with three new appointments

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Government’s Senate team is now complete, following a ceremony at Government House yesterday morning which saw three One Bermuda Alliance members sworn in as Senators.

The new appointees are Lynn Woolridge, Alexis Swan and Jeff Baron.

The three were also sworn in as junior ministers with Sen Woolridge assisting with the portfolios of Health and Seniors, and Public Works; Sen Swan Environment and Planning and Community Development, and Sen Baron assisting the Ministers of Public Safety and Legal Affairs.

Sen Woolridge heads up the international life and annuity division at Argus Insurance Group and worked behind the scenes on the One Bermuda Alliance’s election campaign.

She also served as secretary of the party’s women’s caucus and as a member of its shadow health board.

“I liked the things that they stood for,” said Ms Woolridge when asked why she got involved with the OBA. “I liked their principles of inclusiveness and fairness and equity and I had concerns that the Island wasn’t going in the direction it should have.”

She told The Royal Gazette that she did not expect “in her wildest dreams” that she would end up as a Senator.

“It was a complete surprise when the Premier contacted me,” she said.

Ms Swan was the OBA’s election candidate for Warwick South East but lost the contest to the Progressive Labour Party’s Lawrence Scott.

“I wasn’t expecting anything. I had felt that I had worked extremely hard in the constituency and I was going to continue working regardless of what my position was within the OBA,” said Sen Swan.

“But I am very grateful that the Premier has appointed me to the Senate.”

She added: “As a young person I would like to see a lot of community development done in the Country. I think we’re lacking a lot and I feel that a young person could really give some insight on what we could do to move forward.”

Mr Baron, a former police officer, was the party’s general election candidate for Pembroke South East. He lost the seat to the PLP’s Rolfe Commissiong.

“I’m excited. I know that the Premier has crafted a really good team and I’m proud to be part of that team,” Mr Baron said.

“There’s a tremendous amount of responsibility with this appointment and so I need to get stuck in as quickly as I possibly can, in reviewing the current policies, procedures, strategies that the current public safety/national security departments have in place to deal with crime reduction but also specifically gang violence.”

The appointments complete the Government team which also includes Senators Michael Fahy and Nalton Brangman.

The Opposition PLP’s Senators are lawyer Marc Daniels, Diallo Rabain and Renee Anderson-Ming.

The Governor has yet to appoint the independent Senators.

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