Bermuda

Bermuda’s Parliament is 389 years old. It is now the oldest in the Commonwealth outside the British Isles. The first elected Assembly was convened in St. Peter ‘s Church St. George’ s on 1 August 1620.

In 1815, when the capital of the island was moved from St. George’s to the city of Hamilton Parliament followed. Parliament moved to its current location at The Sessions House in 1826.

The Bermuda Parliament is modeled on the bicameral Westminster system, with an Upper House and Lower House. The House of Assembly is the lower House where the elected members serve; while the Senate is the upper House where the appointed members serve.

The House of Assembly consists of 36 elected members each elected in a single seat constituency. The eleven members of the Senate are appointed to their offices by His Excellency the Governor. Three members are appointed by the Governor acting in his discretion, five members are appointed in accordance with the advice of the Premier and three members in accordance with the advice of the Opposition Leader.

The Premier along with a maximum of 11 other elected members and or a maximum of two appointed members comprises the Cabinet. The Cabinet must include one appointed member (that is one appointed member from the Senate). Under the Westminster system of collective responsibility the Cabinet (or Executive Arm) runs the country while the ultimate authority rests with the Parliament and in the case of this Overseas Territory with the Governor, who is the Queen’s Representative.

Seat of Parliament: Hamilton
Population: 65,365
Constitution: British Overseas Territory
CPA Branch formed: 1928
Date of First Parliament: 1 August, 1820
Voting Age: 18 years

Political Party Distribution

Progressive Labour Party: 22 Seats
United Bermuda Party: 12 seats
Independent: 2 seats
Date of Last Election: December 18, 2007

Officers of the Branch

Senator The Honourable Carol Ann Bassett, JP
CPA Office: Branch Joint President
Parliamentary Office: President of the Senate

Honourable Stanley W. Lowe, OBE, JP, MP
CPA Office: Branch Joint President
Parliamentary Office: Speaker of the House of Assembly

The Hon. Paula Cox, MP
CPA Office: Branch Joint Vice President
Parliamentary Office: Premier

Honourable H. Kim Swan, JP, MP
CPA Office: Branch Joint Vice President
Parliamentary Office: Leader of the Opposition

Mrs. Shernette M. A. Wolffe
CPA Office: Branch Secretary
Parliamentary Office: Clerk to the Legislature