MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

CPC/CPA conference opened in Uganda; Falklands' delegation attending

The Falklands Islands are attending the meeting with a delegation headed by lawmaker MLA Leona Rogers who is also CPA Executive Committee Member

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC) has kicked off Monday morning at the Speke Resort Munyonyo. Uganda, with closed meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) regional secretaries. A delegation from the Falkland Islands is attending the meeting.

Also scheduled concurrently, is a meeting of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians steering committee, the small branches steering committee and the governance review working group. The conference will also discuss the importance of monitoring for new parliamentarians and the promotion of women to leadership positions and senior portfolios.

The 64th Conference themed ”Adaption, engagement and evolution of Parliament's in a rapidly changing Commonwealth’’ will run-up to September 29, 2019. It has attracted 1,200 delegates from former colonies and territories of the British.

So far, up to 20 Speakers and Deputy Speakers of National and provincial Parliaments, as well as delegates, were on Sunday received by the Ugandan Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, the CPC designate president.

Among these is the CPA Chairperson, Emilia Monjowa, who is also the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Cameroon. The other Speakers and Deputy Speakers are from Lesotho, Kenya, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Virgin Islands, the Gambia, Malta, Fiji, Bermuda and others.

The Falklands Islands are attending the meeting with a delegation headed by lawmaker MLA Leona Rogers who is also CPA Executive Committee Member. Other members of the delegation include MLA Dr Barry Elsby and the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly.

During the conference, Falklands' members will be leading on a workshop session “Innovation in Parliament – The possible effects of United Kingdom Brexit on CPA Small Branches”.

The session will enable the Falkland Islands delegation to engage with other small branches around the Commonwealth to understand the ramifications of Brexit on British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, whose economies are made potentially vulnerable to economic dislocation.

Also attending are delegates from Bermuda, Guyana, Ghana, New Zealand, Australia, Cameroon, ESwatini, Fiji, Gambia, Malta, Seychelles, Tanzania, Djibouti, Canada, Kenya, India, Falkland Islands, Scotland, Jamaica, United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Wales, Malaysia, Cayman Islands, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Namibia, Pakistan, South Africa, Virgin Islands and others.