As customary, parliamentarians sought guidance from the divine at their first sitting of the new year.

The group headed to Wesley Methodist Church, Grants Town, where Bahamas Christian Council President, Bishop Delton Fernander  threw out the challenge to start the year moving from good to great this year.

“We’re about to move with God’s help from mediocre to a place that people would look all around the world and say they made it through WTO, they made it through the triumphant financial struggles, they made it through the ups and the downs,” he asserted. 

“When God has control of a nation, He’ll allow us to move to a place where others can look at us and wonder how they made it through,” he said, “from good to great.”

“I want to challenge us today, let’s keep moving, let’s keep progressing.”

The year 2018  was not without its trial and tribulations, but Speaker of the House, Halston Moultrie, said he’s looking forward to an even more eventful parliamentary year; one that brings with it lively debates, provocative exchanges and respectful intentions.

“Let us be courteous in our disagreements, none of us is without fault, we have all fallen short of the glory of God,” he said.

“In recognition of our humanity, we pray and seek God’s grace, at the beginning of each sitting of Parliament.”

To members of the governing party, the  Speaker admonished the group to remember that whatever’s done in government, they should be prepared to absorb in opposition.

The Speaker also shared what he hopes to see this year.

“One improvement that I would especially like to see, is the continued growth of the comradery among members.

“And the second improvement that I am hopeful for in 2019, will be the commencement of the Rules and Business Committee of this parliament with the review revisions and upgrade of our parliamentary rules of procedure,” said  Mr. Moultrie.

For his part, the Speaker renewed his commitment to preside in decorum integrity and impartiality and to continue on with the initiative to move the institution forward.

The business of the House resumes on Wednesday, January 23.