Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago welcomes international experts to virtual CPA Post-Election Seminar

A cohort of experienced international experts on parliamentary democracy will address Members of the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at a virtual Post-Election Seminar hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) next week.

New and returning MPs and Senators, elected to the 12th Republican Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago in August 2020, will benefit from the insights of guest speakers with a range of perspectives on parliamentary democracy. Convened by the CPA from its Pan-Commonwealth networks, the Seminar will feature Members of ten Commonwealth Parliaments – including United Kingdom, Canada, Antigua and Barbuda, Ontario, Western Cape, Nigeria, Turks and Caicos, Bermuda and Nova Scotia - and several guest speakers who have experience working for major international organisations, including the United Nations, BBC, International IDEA and the Commonwealth Foundation.

The virtual seminar will begin with an opening ceremony held online on 22 February 2021, where the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, Hon. Bridgid Annisette-George, will deliver opening remarks alongside the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg. The main programme will follow, consisting of a series of virtual workshop sessions held across three separate days, concluding on 1 March.

Each session is designed to cover the role of a Parliamentarian from a different angle, from the importance of effectively scrutinising legislation to the value of ensuring a more inclusive democracy. By providing Members with an opportunity to refine their knowledge of parliamentary processes and develop the skills required to be an effective representative of the people, the Seminar aims to contribute to the maintenance of a healthy parliamentary democracy in Trinidad and Tobago.

The CPA Secretary-General said: “The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is delighted to support the Parliament of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago through our Post-Election Seminar programme. This virtual seminar will provide a rare opportunity for the 73 Members of Parliament in the current cohort to come together as one, to consider how democracy on the islands can be further strengthened and to learn from the experiences of their parliamentary colleagues elsewhere in the Commonwealth.”

The CPA connects, develops, promotes and supports Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of the enduring values of the Commonwealth. It brings Commonwealth Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff together to exchange ideas among themselves and with experts in various fields and to identify new policy options they can adopt or adapt in the governance of their societies.

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Updated 18 February 2021.

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 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. The CPA is an international community of around 180 Commonwealth Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance.

For further information about the CPA, please contact:

Commonwealth Parliamentary Association
CPA Headquarters Secretariat
T: +44 (0)20 7799 1460
Email hq.sec@cpahq.org
For media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.