In Trinidad and Tobago, the Speaker, or in his absence the Deputy Speaker, presides over each sitting of the House of Representatives, acts as Chairman of Committees of the House and enforces the observance of all rules for preserving order in its proceedings. As a result he maintains order, enforces the rules as is necessary, interprets Standing Orders and practices of the House, deals with points of order and gives rulings when called upon to do so.
The Speaker is considered the guardian of the privileges of the Members of the House of Representatives and the chief characteristics required are authority and impartiality. The Speaker is also responsible for the management and general administration of the House.
The Constitution provides that when the House of Representatives first meets after any general election and before it proceeds to the dispatch of any other business, it shall elect a person to be the Speaker of the House from among members of the House who are not Ministers or Parliamentary Secretaries. Persons who are not Members of either the House of Representatives or the Senate may also be elected provided he is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago and is not disqualified for election as a Member of the House of Representatives.
The Speaker of the House is fifth in the Order of Precedence of Trinidad and Tobago.
The Honourable Bridgid Mary Annisette-George, MP
Mrs. Bridgid Mary Annisette-George first entered Parliament as a Senator and Attorney General on November 8, 2007 and thus became the third woman to hold this post in the history of Trinidad and Tobago, following Mrs. Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Mrs. Glenda Morean-Phillip. She was elected Speaker of the House of the 11th Parliament on September 23, 2015.
An alumnus of St. Joseph’s Convent, Port-of-Spain, Mrs. Annisette-George is also a graduate of the University of the West Indies, having obtained her Bachelor of Law from that institution in 1981. Before taking up the portfolio of Attorney General, Mrs. Annisette-George was the sole practitioner at Messrs. G.R. Annisette & Co.
Mrs. Annisette-George has held a wide variety of positions in both the private and public sector including Commissioner of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Trinidad and Tobago (2003), Chairman of the Diego Martin Regional Corporation (1999-2003) and associate tutor/lecturer at the Hugh Wooding Law School.
She entered Parliament with some 24 years of experience as an Attorney-at-law.
Itinerary and Speeches
| Itinerary | Speeches |
| Monday November 23, 2015 Opening Remarks at the Workshop of the Public Accounts Committees of the Caribbean (PACC), Hyatt Regency, Port of Spain – link | |
| Tuesday January 5, 2016 Closing Remarks and Thanks Lecture on the Oversight Committee System in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Monday February 15, 2016 Welcome Remarks at the Parliamentary Training by the International Centre for Parliamentary Studies, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Monday March 14, 2016 Welcome Remarks in celebration of Commonwealth Day, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Wednesday June 1, 2016 – Friday June 3, 2016 Presentation at the ParlAmericas Annual Gathering on Gender Equality Diversifying Political Power to Build Inclusive Societies, Quito, Ecuador – link | |
| Monday July 4, 2016 Tribute to former Prime Minister, Patrick Manning at the 20th Sitting of the House of Representatives – 1st Session – 11th Parliament, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Thursday July 7, 2016 Speech at the Prize Giving Ceremony for the Essay Competition “Saving Energy, Saving Our Planet” in commemoration of Commonwealth Day 2016, Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Saturday October 1, 2016 Feature Address in Celebration of the Charitable works of the Saint Joseph Sisters of Cluny and the HaiT&T Foundation in HAITI, Hilton Trinidad Ballroom – link | |
| Tuesday December 13, 2016 Presentation at the Global Summit of Women Speakers on Governing Tolerance, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – link | |
| Monday August 14, 2017 Welcome Address at the Opening Ceremony of the 18th Biennial Conference of Presiding Officers and Clerks of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Lowlands, Tobago – link | |
| Wednesday September 6, 2017 Welcome Remarks at the Opening of the ParlAmericas Workshop on Strengthening Accountability through Fiscal Transparency Practices, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad – link | |
| Tuesday October 31, 2017 Opening Remarks at the Third Meeting of the CARIFORUM-EU Parliamentary Committee under the CARIFORUM – EU Economic Partnership Agreement, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain – link | |
| Tuesday May 22, 2018 – Thursday May 24, 2018 Welcome Address at the 10th Gathering of the ParlAmericas Parliamentary Network for Gender Equality Gender Responsive Climate Action, Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port-of-Spain – link | |
| Sunday July 1, 2018 Feature Address at the Trinidad and Tobago Association of Psychologists Annual Social, La Boucan, Hilton Hotel – link | |
| Friday September 21, 2018 Presentation at the Climate Change Leadership Academy Programme United Nations Information Center for the Caribbean Area, Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Friday April 28, 2023 Feature Address at Annual Administrative Professionals Symposium, “Unlocking Your True Professional Potential… ‘Who stole my springboard?'” MIC-Institute of Technology, Trinidad and Tobago – link | |
| Thursday December 18, 2024 Feature Address at the 35th Annual Top 20 Stars of Gold and Calypso of the Year Awards Central Bank Auditorium, Eric Williams Financial Complex, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago – link |