Press Releases

Hon. Manzoor Nadir, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Parliament of Guyana, on 25^th November, 2020, participated in a Webinar for Speakers and Presiding Officers on COVID-19 and Independent Parliaments.

The purpose of the Webinar, which was hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), was to provide a timely and unique opportunity for Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth to examine the nature of Parliaments as independent institutions in the context of COVID-19.

Presentations were made on how the Parliament has adapted to COVID-19; stakeholder perception of Parliament’s approach; level of parliamentary autonomy and nature of parliamentary independency; relationship between national and subnational stakeholders (executive and legislative) in adaption strategies to COVID; successes and failures; and role of the Speaker and Presiding Officer in leadership and oversight strategies.

The Webinar, which was moderated by the CPA Secretary General, Stephen Twigg, saw attendance from Speakers across the Commonwealth and benefitted from a wide array of case study examples. The panellists for the webinar were Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP, Speaker, UK House of Commons; Hon. Anthony Rota, MP, Speaker, Canada House of Commons; Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, MP, Speaker of the House, Trinidad & Tobago; and Matthew Salik, Head of Parliamentary Development, CPA Secretariat.