Jacqueline Swan, the wife of former Premier John Swan who died earlier this month at the age of 72, was recalled by Michael Dunkley as one of Bermuda’s “most respected and influential women”.

Lady Swan, the Premier said, freely offered her advice to others with “extraordinary wisdom”, and had left an indelible mark through her “extraordinary generosity and compassion”.

Independent MP Shawn Crockwell told the House of Assembly that “the royalty in that family came from the Roberts side”, while home affairs minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin recalled being hired at the age of 16 by the John Swan Agency, where she had been “immediately struck by her gentle nature, her dignity”.

Michael Scott of the Progressive Labour Party noted Lady Swan’s service as an educator, while Grant Gibbons, the Minister of Economic Development, praised her as “a very gracious ambassador in her own right” — and OBA MP Glenn Smith likened her to Jackie Kennedy: “She was a wife first, a mother first, and then First Lady.”

Other tributes paid in the House included One Bermuda Alliance MP Jeff Sousa’s salute to Flora Duffy for her gold medal win at the Vattenfall World Triathlon Stockholm.

“This was an unbelievable achievement, not just for herself but Bermuda,” Mr Sousa told the House, saying he hoped to see Ms Duffy become Bermuda’s second Olympic gold medallist.

Diallo Rabain of the PLP rose to deliver a tribute to Valerie Williams, the retiring principal of Victor Scott primary, who also taught for 32 years at Elliot Primary School. “It’s sad to see teachers of this stature go.”

St George’s North MP Kenneth Bascome told Parliament: “As a country, we should thank the Bermuda Police Service. Thank you to all those young men and women who are joining — we are living in a volatile time.”

Mr Bascome also congratulated The Royal Gazette’s own Akil Simmons on his promotion to acting chief photograph. “When you believe, you achieve,” he said.