Caribbean News
Instrument of Appointment for First Female Head of The JDF
#Jamaica, January 28, 2022 – History was created on Thursday (January 20) when Rear Admiral Antonette Sandra-Lee Wemyss Gorman was installed as the Jamaica Defence Force’s (JDF) first female Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Governor-General, His Excellency, the Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, presented her with the Instrument of Appointment during a ceremony at King’s House, which also saw her subscribing the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office.
Admiral Wemyss Gorman succeeds Lieutenant General Rocky Meade who retires from the JDF after serving for 38 years, the last five as CDS.
Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness; Deputy Speaker of the House of
Representatives, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness; and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security, Hon. Dr. Horace Chang, headed the government and other officials attending the ceremony.
Mr. Holness, in congratulating Admiral Wemyss Gorman, said her selection through a competitive process by the Defence Board was based on that body’s conclusion that she has the requisite leadership skills, experience, commitment, and strategic vision “to lead the men and women of the JDF and drive them to achieve even greater levels of success”
In highlighting notable achievements of Admiral Wemyss Gorman’s 29-year military career, Mr. Holness said her tenure in the Coast Guard allows her to treat significantly with issues relating to maritime security and the blue economy.
“She will, therefore, bring a unique perspective to our discussions and efforts to strengthen our borders and prevent illicit inflows, protect the lives and livelihoods of our coastal communities, and ensure Jamaica can derive sustainable benefits from our maritime resources. I look forward to benefiting from her wise counsel on matters relating to defence and security,” he added.
The Prime Minister said that as the fight against crime continues, the JDF will continue to play a critical role in support of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF). The JDF will continue along the path of transformation and capacity building, as it positions itself to more effectively and efficiently combat current and future security threats, locally and in the wider Caribbean.
He also expressed confidence that the JDF will continue to positively impact youth, “not only through the Jamaica National Service Corps but also its various community service activities, and its deepening partnership with the HEART/NSTA Trust and other entities”.
The Prime Minister said it is anticipated that under the new CDS’s leadership, “we will continue to build on our relationships with our military partners within the region and beyond”.
“I know that the CDS is committed to building on these partnerships… and enhancing the JDF’s sterling reputation at home and abroad. I am confident that, in you, Jamaica has a strong, committed, and capable leader who will continue to lead our troops and give of your best to the country, as well as those [who] will come under your command,” he added.
Mr. Holness said a defining feature of the JDF is its “sense of continuity”, noting the smooth transitions from one commander to another over the years. He pointed out that over the past two years, while serving as the JDF’s Executive Officer, Admiral Wemyss Gorman worked closely with General Meade, who, he said, “has laid a solid foundation on which the new commander will continue to build”.
Mr. Holness, in thanking General Meade for his stellar service to the JDF and Jamaica, noted his commitment to education, youth, and achieving and maintaining high standards, which, he said, have produced “significant changes” across the country.
“We will build on the foundation that you have established and strive to make the JDF even more capable and fit for purpose. We can safely say that the future of the JDF is in very capable hands, and this is due, in no small measure, to the way in which you have led the Force over the past five years,” he added.
In her reply, Admiral Wemyss Gorman, who said she was “humbled and privileged” by her appointment, expressed gratitude for the display of confidence “in my ability to command the men and women of the Force”.
She said her tenure in the JDF over the years has equipped her with “valuable tools” and honed the skills required to prepare for the job of CDS.
Admiral Wemyss Gorman also expressed gratitude to her predecessors for playing significant roles in her development
“Thank you for the examples of committed and capable leadership that you demonstrated, which have laid the foundation for me to build on,” she added.
The CDS pledged to uphold the Oath of Office and, in doing so, “I commit to decisive, firm, and strategic leadership, which is required in today’s complex and ever-changing security environment”.
The Governor-General, also congratulating the new CDS, noted her outstanding military track record, while expressing confidence that “you will continue to serve with distinction”.
“You will be a positive role model for women and men alike as they witness what can be achieved through determination and purpose,” he said.
The Governor-General also thanked General Meade for his 38 years of dedicated service.
“As the Commander-in-Chief of the Jamaica Defence Force, I am proud of the men and women who serve. Let us support them as they work tirelessly to secure the physical integrity and territorial waters of our country,” he added.
Contact: Douglas McIntosh
Release: JIS
By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media
October 14, 2025 – It’s being called political theatre — but for citizens, constitutional watchdogs, and democracy advocates across the Caribbean, it feels far more serious. Within a single week, two national parliaments — in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Kitts and Nevis — descended into turmoil as opposition members stormed out in protest, accusing their Speakers of bias, overreach, and abuse of parliamentary procedure.
For observers, the walkouts signal a deeper problem: erosion of trust in the very institutions meant to safeguard democracy. When Speakers are viewed as political enforcers instead of neutral referees, parliaments stop functioning as chambers of debate and start performing as stages for power and spectacle — with citizens left wondering who, if anyone, is still accountable.
October 6: St. Kitts Parliament Erupts
The first walkout erupted in Basseterre on October 6, 2025, when Dr. Timothy Harris, former Prime Minister and now Opposition Leader,
led his team out of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly in a protest that stunned the chamber.
The flashpoint came as the Speaker moved to approve more than three years’ worth of unratified parliamentary minutes in one sitting — covering 27 meetings and three national budgets — without individual review or debate.
Dr. Harris called the move “a flagrant breach of the Constitution and parliamentary tradition,” warning that the practice undermines transparency and accountability. “No serious parliament can go years without approving a single set of minutes,” he said after exiting the chamber.
The Speaker defended the decision as administrative housekeeping, but critics were unconvinced, branding the move a “world record disgrace.” The opposition’s walkout triggered renewed calls for the Speaker’s resignation and sparked a wider public discussion about record-keeping, accountability, and respect for parliamentary norms in St. Kitts and Nevis.
October 10: Trinidad Opposition Follows Suit
Four days later, on October 10, 2025, the Opposition United National Congress (UNC) in Trinidad and Tobago staged its own walkout from the House of Representatives in Port of Spain.
The UNC accused the Speaker of partisan bias, claiming she had repeatedly blocked urgent questions, ignored points of order, and allowed government members to breach standing orders without consequence.
“The Speaker has failed in her duty to act impartially,” the Opposition declared in a statement. “Parliament is not the property of any political party or Presiding Officer.”
The dramatic exit was seen as a culmination of months of rising tension and frustration, with opposition MPs arguing that parliamentary rules were being selectively applied to silence dissenting voices.
Political analyst Dr. Marcia Ferdinand described the twin walkouts as “a warning sign that parliamentary democracy in the Caribbean is teetering on the edge of performative politics.”
“When chairs become political shields rather than constitutional referees,” she said, “democracy becomes theatre, not governance.”
A Pattern Emerging
While St. Kitts and Trinidad are very different political environments, both incidents point to the same regional fault line: the perception that Speakers — the guardians of parliamentary order — are no longer impartial.
In Westminster-style systems like those across the Caribbean, the Speaker’s authority depends not on power but on public confidence in fairness. Once that credibility erodes, parliamentary control collapses into confrontation.
Governance experts say the implications are serious: eroded trust between government and opposition, declining public confidence in state institutions, and growing voter cynicism that “rules” are flexible tools of political advantage.
Why It Matters
Parliamentary walkouts are not new in the Caribbean, but what makes these recent events different is their frequency and intensity — and
the regional echo they’ve created. Social media has amplified images of lawmakers storming out, with citizens from Barbados to Belize questioning whether the same erosion of decorum could be happening in their own legislatures.
Analysts warn that if this perception takes hold, it risks diminishing the moral authority of parliamentary democracy itself.
“Once opposition MPs believe the rules are rigged, and once citizens believe Parliament is just performance,” said one Caribbean governance researcher, “you’ve lost the most valuable currency in democracy — trust.”
Restoring Balance
Political reformers across the region are calling for tighter Standing Order enforcement, independent parliamentary service commissions, and training to strengthen Speaker neutrality. Civil society leaders say the public must also play its part by demanding transparency and refusing to normalize partisan manipulation of parliamentary procedure.
Whether these twin walkouts become catalysts for reform — or simply another episode of Caribbean political theatre — will depend on what happens next inside those chambers.
For now, democracy watchers agree on one thing: when opposition leaders feel the only way to be heard is to walk out, the entire democratic house — not just its Speaker — is in danger of collapse.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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