Cayman participating in CPA conference
(CNS Local Life): A five-member team is representing the Cayman Islands at the 44th annual conference of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic (CAA) Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), in Trinidad and Tobago, which opened Friday, 12 July and runs through 19 July. Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush is leading the group, which comprises Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Tara Rivers, Leader of the Opposition Arden McLean, and Opposition MLAs Kenneth Bryan and Christopher Saunders.
Delegates, who are representing three geographical areas at the conference, are considering the impacts of globalisation and nationalism on Commonwealth Parliaments.
Bush, who is the immediate past chair of the CAA Regional Executive Committee and now the CAA representative on the CPA’s Small Branches Steering Committee, also attended executive meetings. Plenary sessions of the conference, which is being held in Port of Spain, took place from 15-17 July.
Rivers is attending as a delegate and participated in the 12th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference from 13-14 July.
Representing the Cayman Islands in plenary sessions were McLean, on the topic “Migrants and Refugees: Is there a need for a collective regional response?”; and Bryan, on the topic “Digital Disinformation: The challenges to Parliaments and Democracy”. Saunders is attending the conference as an observer.
Other topics being presented include “Human Rights: Are our parliaments fully accessible to persons with disabilities?”; “Forging a Caribbean Identity: How relevant are the Westminster traditions in a modern parliament?”; and “Rethinking the Westminster Model of Governance: The need for a fundamental shift.”
The CPA regional conference also includes the 15th Regional Youth Parliament where two University of the Cayman Islands students, Leah Robinson and Reon Porter, represented the Cayman Islands in the debates held Wednesday, 17 July.
Bush also spoke at a CPA Roadshow where he addressed a packed audience of young people, from high schools, colleges and youth organisations at the city hall in Port of Spain. He recounted his experiences as an MLA, Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition, Premier and now Speaker.
CPA Secretary General Akbar Khan, who welcomed the participants, began the CPA Roadshows initiative in 2016, with the first one held on Grand Cayman at the Town Hall in George Town.
Category: Local News
