Leo Ryan Pinder the new Member of Parliament for Elizabeth was sworn in during the opening of a new session of Parliament, Wednesday, April 14, 2010. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)

Nassau, Bahamas -- Member of Parliament-elect for Elizabeth, Leo Ryan Pinder was sworn in at the House of Assembly during the new session of Parliament, Wednesday, April 14, 2010. Parliament was prorogued on March 22, 2010. 

He replaces Malcolm Adderley who resigned from the seat on January 4, 2010.

Pledging the Oath of Qualification and the Oath of Allegiance, Mr Pinder was accompanied by Members of Parliament for Bain & Grants Town, the Hon Bernard J Nottage and Member of Parliament for Cat Island, Rum Cay & San Salvador, Philip ‘Brave Davis.

The ceremony was preceded by the submission of the Writ of Election for the Elizabeth by-election by Parliamentary Commissioner, Errol Bethel. The writ confirms that Mr Pinder won the three-contested seat.

Mr Pinder was born in Nassau, Bahamas, on September 13, 1974, to Mr L Marvin B Pinder and Nancy S Pinder.  His father, Marvin Pinder, is a former Progressive Liberal Party Member of Parliament for the Malcolm Creek and St John’s constituencies (1987-1993) and a former member of Sir Lynden Pindling's Cabinet as the Minister of Local Government and Family Island Affairs.  

L Ryan Pinder, JD, LLM, LEC, is a certified United States tax attorney licensed to practice law in both the United States of America and The Bahamas.

Mr Pinder is married to Melissa Calvin Pinder and the couple has two children, Olivia Rose Pinder (eight-years-old) and Leo Austin Pinder (three-years-old). 

After the swearing in ceremony, Members of Parliament awaited the command of the newly appointed Governor General His Excellency Sir Arthur Foulkes, who requested their presence in Rawson Square where he delivered the speech from the throne.

SLIDE SHOW images by BIS/Letisha Henderson)

Following the meeting with the Governor General, Members of Parliament reconvened for a short session in the House of Assembly at which time Member of Parliament for Elizabeth, Mr Ryan Pinder thanked the people of the Elizabeth Constituency and pledged his commitment to serve them.

Saying that he realizes that the absence of jobs and the presence of escalating crime, threaten to destabilize many communities throughout the country, especially urban communities, Mr Pinder said that he is committed to finding creative and quick ways to ‘stimulate’ local economic activity. 

“I used the opportunity of this campaign, win or lose to take the education and experience of my personal background to espouse a workable plan for small business training and development as part of the solution to our national problems through the Elizabeth Constituency,” said Mr Pinder.

“Mr Speaker, this morning, I recommit myself to that message and those ideals.”

Several bills were also tabled in the House including a Act to provide for the Bahamas Protected Areas Fund (Bahamas Protected Areas Fund Act of 2010); an Act to provide for the incorporation of The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, its governance, control and administration by a board (The Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute Act, 2010); and an Act to provide for the conservation and control of forests (Forestry Act, 2010).

The House of Assembly will meet again on Wednesday, April 21.