Member of Parliament Hon Alfred Prospere has reaffirmed his commitment to Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre following his appointment as Deputy Speaker of Parliament, dismissing suggestions that the new role represents a setback in his political career.
Prospere, who served as Minister for Agriculture in the previous Cabinet, said he has no issue with his new appointment and emphasized that the position of Deputy Speaker is neither new nor insignificant. He pointed out that the role has previously been held by senior political figures, including a former prime minister. “I don’t know why people are making it such a problem, as if this is the first time we have had a Deputy Speaker,” Prospere told reporters on Tuesday. “Just recently, the Deputy Speaker was a former prime minister, Dr Kenny, and in 2021, when we came into office, Jeremiah Norbert was the Deputy Speaker. So this is nothing new.”
He stressed that governance is a collective effort and said he respects the Prime Minister’s authority in assigning roles within the parliamentary team. “It’s part of a team. It’s about teamwork and putting people first, and wherever the Prime Minister sees it fit to place me, I will accept,” Prospere said.
The Dennery South MP further noted that his appointment as Deputy Speaker will not interfere with his responsibilities to his constituents. He highlighted his continued commitment to constituency development, saying his focus remains on delivering for the people who re-elected him. “I have won my seat, and the position of Deputy Speaker will not prevent me from continuing my work to assist the people and to develop the constituency,” he said. “I have done it for four and a half years, and the people have given me another term to continue that work.”
Prospere expressed satisfaction with his new role and pledged to carry out his duties to the best of his ability during his tenure as Deputy Speaker. “I have no issues with the position, and I will do the best I can for as long as I serve as Deputy Speaker,” he added.
