St Kitts preparing to host regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference

Preparations are underway for the 42nd Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) next month.

The event, held in St Kitts on 16-24 June, is themed Enhancing Democracy through the Use of the Parliamentary System and the Media.

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," according to a release from the St Kitts and Nevis government.

Akbar Khan, CPA Secretary General, is scheduled to attend, along with 12 parliamentary Speakers and 75 delegates representing 14 parliamentary branches.

Nations who have confirmed their attendance include Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Nevis Island, Saint Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and the hosts.

Observers will attend from the Jersey legislature from the British Isles, the Cameroon legislature from the African region and the Yukon legislature from the Canada region.

Activities planned include the 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference, the 13th Regional Youth Parliament Debate and the Annual General Meeting of the 42nd Conference, among others.

Michael Perkins, Speaker of the St Kitts and Nevis National Assembly, announced that the federation would be hosting the gathering earlier this year.

A planning committee was put in place headed by Perkins, who is also chairman of the conference.

The conference coordinator is Sonia Boddie, the National Assembly’s deputy clerk