Hamilton takes seat in Senate

ATTORNEY-AT-LAW TOVA Hamilton yesterday took her seat on the Government benches in the Senate after taking the oath of allegiance.

Hamilton, who will be contesting the Trelawny North seat for the Jamaica Labour Party in the upcoming general election, replaces Pearnel Charles Jr who was elected to the House of Representatives in March.

Leader of Government Business Kamina Johnson Smith said that Hamilton “will bring her own love for Jamaica, her own sensitivity to our culture; her own work ethic honed over the years and her deliberation to the debates in this House”.

Johnson Smith said that with Hamilton’s appointment to the Upper House, its composition of women has moved to 29 per cent.

Donna Scott Mottley, the leader of Opposition business in the Senate, also extended welcome to Hamilton.

But the official welcome on behalf of the Opposition was done by Sophia Frazer-Binns who said the moment was extra special because another West Wood High School alumnus had joined her in the Senate.

The dreadlocked Hamilton, in response to her welcome, thanked Prime Minister Andrew Holness for the appointment but singled out Senate President Tom Tavares-Finson for his effort to get her into the Senate.

IAN ALLEN/PHOTOGRAPHER Tova Hamilton, attorney-at-law, takes the oath of allegiance at the start of the sitting of the Upper House yesterday. Senators on both sides of the political divide welcomed the new lawmaker.