Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 25, 2017 (SKNIS): Plans are in train to host the 42nd Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), which will be held in St. Kitts at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort during the period June 16-24, 2017, under the theme “Enhancing Democracy through the Use of the Parliamentary System and the Media”.
Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Secretary General, Mr. Akbar Khan, is scheduled to attend, along with 12 speakers of parliaments to date and 75 delegates, who have already confirmed their attendance, representing 14 parliamentary branches including Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis Island, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands. There are 19 parliamentary branches in the region.
Observers will comprise the Jersey Legislature from the British Isles, the Cameroon Legislature from the African Region and the Yukon Legislature from the Canada Region.
Some activities will include the 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference, the 13th Regional Youth Parliament Debate, the Annual General Meeting of the 42nd Conference, a forum on “Seeking to Increase Women’s Political Participation” and the 42nd Annual Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the CPA, which actually takes place from Monday, June 19 to Tuesday, June 20.
At the first sitting of the National Assembly for this year on January 20, Speaker of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly, the Honourable Michael Perkins, made the announcement that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) has invited St. Kitts and Nevis to host the 42nd Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region in June of this year.
The CPA connects, develops, promotes and supports parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of the enduring values of the Commonwealth.
A planning committee has been put in place headed by the Chairman of the Conference, Speaker Perkins. The conference coordinator is Ms. Sonia Boddie, Deputy Clerk in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly.
