Several students, some in uniform and waving flags, lined the Parliament courtyard Tuesday morning to welcome Chad Blackman as he arrived to take his seat as the new Member of Parliament for St James North and Minister of Educational Transformation.
Among them were pupils from his alma maters – Shirley Chisholm Primary (formerly Vauxhall Primary) and Christ Church Foundation School – along with students from Gordon Greenidge Primary and St Alban’s Primary.
They were joined by Blackman’s parents, Delvin and Jacqueline Blackman, and constituents decked in red to show their support for the first-time MP, who wore a sharp suit with a dash of red himself.
His parents, Delvin and Jacqueline Blackman, stood proudly nearby.
In a significant gesture, Rakila Haynes, deputy head girl of St Alban’s Primary, stepped forward to pin a corsage on the newly elected MP before he entered the Chamber.
It was the end of a campaign and the start of official duties.
Blackman, who won last week’s by-election with 84 per cent of the vote, said the moment felt humbling.
“It’s really a humbling feeling to be here. The process to get here was rigorous, but this now begins the formal side of representation, especially in the context of Parliament. I want to again thank the residents of St James North, they’ve placed significant confidence in me and I don’t take that for granted,” he said.
Blackman, who also enters Parliament as Minister of Educational Transformation, said one of his main priorities is delivering on promises to improve literacy and numeracy across the school system.
He added that some of his constituency projects are already underway.
“I started a clinic last week, just meeting with people, hearing concerns and starting to act on the plans we outlined. The mandate was clear. Now it’s time to deliver.”
Blackman, who served in the Senate before contesting the by-election, said that experience gave him a strong foundation for this next step.
“I’ll miss the Senate, sure. But that helped prepare me. Now it’s time to represent the people who elected me,” he said.
He also acknowledged that expectations are high, especially for someone taking over from a long-serving MP in a stronghold seat.
He, however, added that he is ready to do the work. (SM)
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