13 February 2024
The Right Honourable Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, arrived at St Helena earlier today to begin his five-day visit to the island. This is the first ever visit by a Speaker of the House of Commons to St Helena.
Sir Lindsay has a full schedule of engagements and activities. This includes meeting with a range of charity and business groups, young people and schoolchildren, along with the Legislative Council, Executive Council and officials. He has also been invited to attend and address a formal sitting of the Legislative Council on Friday morning.
Whilst here, Sir Lindsay is keen to encourage the revival of the St Helena Youth Parliament and will also be planting a tree in a new endemic garden.
Sir Lindsay was received at the airport by the Governor, Chief Minister and Speaker Gunnell, before travelling to the Governor’s official residence, Plantation House. Whilst there he met our oldest St Helenian resident, 192-year-old Jonathan the tortoise. Sir Lindsay is the proud owner of a pet tortoise, so was delighted to be able to present Jonathan with his Guinness World Record certificate recognising him as the oldest living chelonian (tortoises, turtles and terrapins).
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