Revised Laws of Saint Lucia (2021)

29.   President and Deputy President

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    (1)   When the Senate first meets after any dissolution of Parliament and before it proceeds to the despatch of any other business, it shall elect a Senator, not being a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary, to be President of the Senate; and whenever the office of President is vacant otherwise than by reason of a dissolution of Parliament, the Senate shall, not later than its second sitting after the vacancy has arisen, elect another Senator to fill that office.

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    (2)   When the Senate first meets after any dissolution of Parliament, it shall, as soon as practicable, elect a Senator, not being a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary, to be Deputy President of the Senate; and whenever the office of Deputy President becomes vacant, the Senate shall, as soon as convenient, elect another Senator to fill that office.

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    (3)   A person shall vacate the office of President or Deputy President—

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      (a)     if he or she ceases to be a Senator:

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    provided that, the President shall not vacate his or her office by reason only that he or she has ceased to be a Senator on a dissolution of Parliament until the Senate first meets after that dissolution;

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      (b)     if he or she is appointed to be a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary; or

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      ©     in the case of the Deputy President, if he or she is elected to be President.

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    (4)   

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      (a)     If, by virtue of section 27(3)(a), the President or Deputy President is required to cease to perform his or her functions as a member of the Senate he or she shall also cease to perform his or her functions as President or Deputy President, as the case may be, and those functions shall, until he or she vacates his or her seat in the Senate or resumes the performance of the functions of his or her office, be performed—

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        (i)     in the case of the President, by the Deputy President or, if the office of Deputy President is vacant or the Deputy President is required to cease to perform his or her functions as a member of the Senate by virtue of section 27(3), by such Senator (not being a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary) as the Senate may elect for the purpose,

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        (ii)     in the case of the Deputy President, by such Senator (not being a Minister or a Parliamentary Secretary) as the Senate may elect for the purpose.

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      (b)     If the President or Deputy President resumes the performance of his or her functions as a member of the Senate, in accordance with the provisions of section 27(3)(c), he or she shall also resume the performance of his or her functions as President or Deputy President, as the case may be.

The House of Assembly