Prime Minister of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Hon. Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark A. Phillips, MSS, MP, and Speaker of the National Assembly of the Twelfth Parliament, Hon. Manzoor Nadir, M.P., was among the Speakers to welcome delegates during the Opening Ceremony for the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Training Seminar for Members of Parliament.

At the opening ceremony held today in the Dome of the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown, Prime Minister Phillips said that this occasion reemphasised the importance of the role of elected Members of Parliament. He further posited the timely need for such a seminar and dubbed it a timely refresher to uphold the position as a member of Parliament with honour and integrity. 

During his remarks, Speaker Nadir agreed with the sentiments shared by the Prime Minister of encouraging dialogue aimed at improving the lives that Members of Parliament represent. 
He further expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have in-person representations from Parliamentary Organisations from across continents with the hope that knowledge will be gained from the experiences shared. 

Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, during her address, highlighted her delight in participating in such an ambitious but relevant seminar with the aim of effectively enhancing parliamentary functions in respective regions. 

Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Guyana, Hon. Lenox Shuman, M.P., Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Suriname, Hon. Dewan Chandrebhose Sharman, Opposition Member, Hon. Vincent Henry, M.P., Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Sherlock E. Isaacs, A.A., and the Secretary-General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr. Martin Chungong (virtual) were among the keynote speakers for the Opening Ceremony. 

CPA Training Seminar: Day 1

After the opening ceremony, participants benefited from open dialogue during various sessions for the remainder of the day.

The first session allowed participants to identify the opportunities and challenges of being a Member of Parliament and this was illustrated via their experiences.

Minister of the Public Service, the Hon. Savitri Sonia Parag, M.P., Opposition Member, the Hon. Devin Sears, M.P., joined the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, and the Clerk Assistant at the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, Mr. Artour Sogomonian, to conduct this session.

The second session focused on the roles, functions, and best practices of the Speaker and Clerk of the Assembly.

At this session, Speaker Annisette-George and Mr. Sogomonian were joined virtually by the Speaker of the House of Assembly of Bermuda, the Hon. Dennis P. Lister JP, M.P., for his presentation.

The third session focused on codes of conduct, transparency, and integrity. Member of the House of Commons of Canada (virtual) Ms. Mélissa M. Verpile, Director, Democratic Renewal & Human Rights Campaign, Parliamentarians for Global Action (virtual).

In the fourth and practical session, participants learned about the committee system and the importance of parliamentary scrutiny. This session dealt with reports, how they should be written, how to ensure recommendations are actioned, and the impact of such actions. Minister of Parliamentary Affairs and Governance, the Hon. Gail Teixeira, M.P., Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, Janet Routledge were among the keynote presenters for this session.

For the final session of the day, the participants touched on Access, Outreach, and Representation, which focused on the importance of the role parliamentarians have in representing.
The session gave participants an insight into how to engage with wider stakeholders to get input into how the Parliament works while utilising the public, organisations, and specifically the media to encourage information dissemination.
Janet Routledge, Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, was joined virtually by Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, Dr. Anne Gallagher, AO, and Junior Minister for Tourism and Member of the House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands, the Hon. Sharie B. de Castro to deliver their presentations.
As the curtains come down on the final day for this CPA conducted Training Seminar, Parliamentarians can expect more robust presentations.