As per Section 31(1)(a) of the Bermuda Constitution, the seats of all Senators became vacant upon the dissolution of the Legislature on 8 January 2025.
On 31 January 2025, His Excellency the Governor, Andrew Murdoch, encouraged qualified persons to submit expressions of interest for future appointment to the Senate by the Governor acting in his discretion. A large number of expressions of interest were received and considered by the Governor.
The Governor, acting in his discretion as per Section 27(2)(c) of the Bermuda Constitution, has decided to:
reappoint Mrs Joan Dillas-Wright MBE, JP and Mr R John Wight; and
appoint Ms Tawana Tannock in place of Ms Kiernan Bell who had advised the Governor of her wish to retire from the Senate at the dissolution of the Legislature.
The Governor said “I am grateful to Mrs Dillas-Wright and Mr Wight for their continued commitment to serve on the Senate. I also welcome Ms Tannock’s willingness to serve in the Senate as an independent Senator. Each of them brings their own unique experiences to the work of the Senate which I believe will be of great value to the legislature. I wish them well in their future duties.
I would also like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the service of Ms Kiernan Bell as one of Bermuda’s independent Senators over the last two years. I am sure she will be missed by her colleagues in the Senate, and I wish Ms Bell all the best in the future.”
Ms Tannock said “I appreciate this exciting opportunity to be one of the independent voices in the Senate and to serve our entire community, particularly those who feel disenfranchised, underrepresented, or uninformed regarding the role of the Senate. I encourage public engagement in the work of the legislature, and welcome comments, questions and concerns on legislation and Senate activities, to my Senate email address. I pledge to be responsive and transparent, continuing my record of advocating for and participating in community engagement initiatives.”
Note to Editors:
Ms Tawana Tannock works as the Managing Director of Skuld Mutual Protection and Indemnity Association (Bermuda) Limited.
Ms Tannock was called to the Bar of England and Wales and to the Bermuda Bar. She completed her BVC at the College of Law, MA in Legal Studies from the University of Bristol and is a member of Gray’s Inn. She holds a BA in History and Political Science from Spelman College and has several insurance industry designations.
Prior to entering the insurance industry, Ms Tannock worked in the Ministry of Justice as a Parliamentary Counsel, Crown Counsel, Probation Officer and Drug Treatment Court Case Manager. She is the former Executive Director of the Centre for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention (CADA), a former history teacher and a past Chairperson of the Bermuda Human Rights Commission.
In addition to her work at Skuld, Ms Tannock is passionate about volunteering her time, skills and experience and is active in private and public sector organisations.