BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE newly-appointed Governor-General of St. Kitts and Nevis, Sir Edmund Wickham Lawrence, KCMG, OBE, CSM, JP, has promised to be faithful and loyal to the Oath of Office that he took earlier today (Jan. 2).
Though the Oath’s official Inauguration took place privately at midnight on January 1, a public ceremony for the Inauguration was held this morning at Government House.
Speaking during the ceremony, Sir Edmund stated that he comes into the Office with the will of the Government, the consensus of the people and the will of God.
"God has sought me and providentially prepared and brought me to this day on which Hoe is sending me as his servant at this specific period in the history of our young nation and the life of our proud people whom I have given the great honour and privilege to serve.
“I am determine to serve wholeheartedly without hesitation, prevarication or mental reservation…so help me God."
Sir Edmond swore, “I will serve with humility, humanity, weakness and selflessness. I will not seek my own good. I will seek the good of all my fellow countrymen and countrywomen, and that you can depend for God has promised to help me to do the task which He has entrusted to me and I will rely on His promise, thus I cannot fail. I will remember my Oaths, with God's help I will not forget them. As I serve, I pray He will help me to follow the path of truth and principle."
In his remarks, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, the Right Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas said, "In all that he undertakes and in the execution of any responsibility that he assumes, Sir Edmond Lawrence’s modus operandi is always without exception; the pursuit of excellence."
Sir Edmund Wickham Lawrence, KCMG, OBE, CSM, JP, has today become the Federation’s third Governor-General and the Oath of Office was administered by Resident Puisne Judge, His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas.
Following the arrival of Sir Edmund and the playing of the National Anthem, the Invocation was then said by the Venerable Valentine Hodge, Archdeacon of St. George’s Anglican Church.
The Commendation was administered by the Reverend Dr. Wycherley Gumbs, Superintendent Minister of the St. Kitts Methodist Circuit.
Introductory remarks came from Elvis Newton, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Homeland Security and Labour & Social Security, while the vocal and piano duet of Handel’s ‘Messiah: If God be for us’ was presented by Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence and Dr. Louisa Lawrence.
Sir Edmund Wickham Lawrence then conducted his first job as the new Commander-in-Chief when he took a Royal Salute, inspected a military Guard of Honor and hosted a brunch to conclude the Inauguration.
