A delegation of Parliamentarians from Cayman attended the 46th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic (CAA) Regional Conference held in Georgetown, Guyana this week, including former Speaker Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, MP, Minister of Sustainability & Climate Resiliency.
Hosted by the National Assembly of the Parliament of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, the four-day conference began on 2nd September and included numerous seminars and sessions under the theme of “Democracy: Challenges Facing Modern Parliaments”.
The annual regional conference also included the 14th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP) CAA Regional Conference, the 17th CAA Caribbean Youth Parliament, and the Annual General Meeting.
Hon. Ebanks-Wilks commented: “As Chairperson of the Youth Parliament Committee, I thoroughly enjoy accompanying our Youth Delegates. Seeing them work hard to prepare and watching it come together at the debate is very rewarding. I also enjoyed attending the Conference of Women Parliamentarians and having the benefit of leaning in and learning from other females in the profession.”
The CAA Region of the CPA is governed by its own Executive Committee and is comprised of 19 legislatures, including the Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Barbados, and Turks and Caicos.
Half a dozen sessions were held on Parliamentary topics including etiquette, parliamentary privilege and immunity, paperless parliaments, Hansards, and the role of the Clerk. Assistant Clerk Ms. Nordra Walcott presented at the conference on the vital function the Clerks serve in legislatures. “I’m honoured to have had the opportunity to discuss with our regional clerks the importance of our roles, and to learn about our individual differences across the region,” said Ms. Walcott.
The always-energetic Youth Parliament debate took place on Thursday, 5th September, and can be replayed on the Government of Guyana’s YouTube. Two of Cayman’s outstanding Youth Parliamentarians participated in the debate, including this year’s YP Premier, Ms. Jhenelle Colquhoon, and YP Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Keira Bodden.
“This year’s debate was on the inclusion of youth leaders in regional decision-making, a topic I believe is quite important and pressing in our region,” said Ms. Colquhoon. “Overall, I was deeply enriched and empowered by the presentation of other regional youth, and their influence has left an indelible mark on my thought processes and personal convictions.”
The debate focused on enhancing governance by including youth in legislative bodies. Ms. Bodden shared that the regional rebate benefited her “by ensuring that the perspectives and voices of [her] generation are represented and valued in policy decisions whilst also empowering [her] peers to become more involved in governance.”
Former Commonwealth Secretary-General and former Foreign Minister of Guyana Sir Shridath Ramphal passed away just before the start of the conference. The Premier, Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly commented on his passing in a statement issued by the Government this week.
The Cayman Islands Branch of the CPA is administered by an Executive Committee and works closely with other branches across the region to provide Members of Parliament and Parliament staff with a rich tapestry of resources and networks to develop their skills and understanding of issues impacting our region and Parliamentary legislatures as a whole.
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