NASSAU, The Bahamas---The Bahamas Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), in conjunction with the CPA, will host a Post Election Seminar March 26-30, 2014, under the theme, “285 Years And beyond: Deepening Democracy Through Parliament,” at Atlantis Beach Tower, Paradise Island.
The seminar is being held as The Bahamas’ Parliament celebrates its 285th
anniversary
(1729-
2014).
The opening ceremony will be addressed by Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie, Leader of the Opposition Dr. Hubert Minnis, President of the Senate the Hon. Sharon Wilson, Speaker of the House of Assembly Dr. the Hon. Kendal Major.
International and local parliamentarians, as well anniversary (1729-as a former parliamentarian, will make presentations on a wide range of topics relating to the role of Parliament and parliamentarians.
Presenters include Sen. the Hon. Sharon Wilson, Dr. the Hon. Kendal Major, the Hon. Michael A. Carrington, MP, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados; the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Transport and Aviation; Sen. The Hon. Raynell Andreychuk, Canadian Senate; Mr. Sean McWeeney, QC, Attorney-at-Law and former Senator and Attorney General; Sen. The Hon. Carl Bethel, Opposition Leader in the Senate; and Mrs. Jacqui Sampson-Meiguel, Clerk of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago.
Senate President Wilson will present on the topic, “Protocol, Ethics and Accountability of Members of Parliament,” while House Speaker Dr. Major will speak on “Deepening Democracy through Parliament.”
Mr. Carrington will present on “The role of the Presiding Officers/Practice and procedures in Parliament,” and “The Role of members of Parliament/Democracy and Civil Society.”
Mrs. Hanna-Martin will speak on the topic, “Women in Parliament,” and Sen. Andreychuk will speak on “Party Organisation with Parliament” and will team with Sen. Bethel on the topic, “The Role of the Second Chamber in Bicameral Parliaments.”Mr. McWeeney will present on “The Evolution of Parliamentary Democracy and the Constitution of The Bahamas.”
Mrs. Sampson-Meiguel will speak on, “The Development of the Commonwealth and the Role of the CPA,” “Institutional aspects of the Parliamentary System, including the relationship between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary,” and “Administration and Financing of Parliament.”
