Georgetown: The Guyana branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) will be hosting the 16th biennial conference of presiding officers and clerks of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic region of the group from October 26 to 31.
The conference aims to explore the key features of an effective parliament in order to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of the presiding officers and clerks; maintain, foster and encourage impartiality and fairness on the part of the presiding officers and clerks of various parliaments; promote professional development, knowledge and understanding of parliamentary democracy in its various forms; and strengthen the independence of parliaments.
The meetings are expected to be attended by delegates from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia, and the host country.
In addition to the two days of plenary sessions, the delegates will be treated to a luncheon to be hosted jointly by the Speaker and Clerk of the National Assembly, Sherlock Isaacs and Raphael Trotman; a dinner to be hosted by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and Opposition Leader David Granger, and a cocktail reception to be hosted by President Donald Ramotar. The conference, which was first held in 1969, operates on a two-year cycle. The opening ceremony will be held on Monday at the Guyana International Conference Centre, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown at 09:00h.
