George-Massicote was nominated by Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley and his nomination was seconded by Deputy Premier Kye Rymer.

George-Massicote becomes the third female Speaker of the House of Assembly in the territory’s history following Vivian Inez Archibald (2003-2007) and Ingrid Moses-Scatliffe (2011-2019).

The new speaker currently works at Trident Trust Company (BVI) Ltd.

Speaking on her appointment as Speaker, Massicote-George thanked the Premier and the other members of the House for their vote of confidence in her ability to assume the position in the House of Assembly. She also thanked the clerk and the other HOA staff for their guidance and support.

“I acknowledge that the people of this territory express proper decorum and good governance and deserve nothing less from this honourable House when conducting people’s business. In this regard, I commit myself to observing the tenets of fairness and respect in my role as Speaker and to apply the ideals of transparency and accountability in my management of the affairs of this honourable house,” George-Massicote said.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Julian Fraser has advised the new Speaker to consult with the clerk of the House and the Deputy Speaker to keep abreast of the matters before the House of Assembly and move those initiatives along smoothly.

He also advised her to understand her role and execute it to the best of her ability. Fraser noted that too often Speakers of the House believe they should be treated like ministers and that their duties extend beyond what it is. However, he said he has confidence in George-Massicote’s ability based on her qualifications.

Earlier this month, former Speaker, Julian Willock was asked to resign from the position. Premier Dr Wheatley had noted the members of the HOA had lost confidence in his abilities to fulfil his role.

However, Willock maintained he did nothing wrong and was simply being made to be the sacrificial lamb.