Election of Presiding Officer

“3. (1) At the inaugural meeting of the Assembly held immediately after primary election, in accordance with Section 6 of the Tobago House of Assembly Act, 1996, the Clerk shall call upon members to elect a Presiding Officer of the Assembly, except that no member shall nominate more than one candidate for the same office whether as proposer or seconder.

(2) A member, having first ascertained that a member or other person to be proposed is willing to serve if elected, may propose that member or other person as Presiding Officer and if that proposal be seconded, the Clerk, if no other such member or person be proposed for the office, shall declare the member or the person so proposed and seconded to be the Presiding Officer.

(3) If another member or person who is willing to serve if elected is proposed and seconded as Presiding Officer, there shall be an election by secret ballot.

(4) The member or person elected to the office of Presiding Officer shall be the candidate receiving the highest number of votes, but where because of an equality of votes the election of the Presiding Officer is impossible, the ballot shall be retaken in respect of the relevant Candidates.

(5) Where on the second ballot the equality of votes continues, the Clerk shall propose the question that the member or other person chosen who was first proposed should be the Presiding Officer. Should that proposal be agreed to, the member or other person shall be the Presiding Officer.

(6) If the proposal is negative, the Clerk shall propose a like question in respect of any other member or other person who has been proposed and seconded, in the order in which they were proposed until the question is carried in favour of one of the members or other persons proposed.

(7) No debate shall be allowed upon proposals for filling the office of Presiding Officer, but any member shall call for a division after the decision on the proposal has been announced.”