The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Headquarters held a special meeting of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers at Speaker’s House at the UK Parliament
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Headquarters held a special meeting of Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers held at Speaker’s House at the UK Parliament, following the Commonwealth Speakers Summit 2024 for Commonwealth Day and the 75th anniversary of the Commonwealth.
The Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP and the CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg updated Members on the progress of the CPA Status Bill conferring bespoke status akin to an international organisation as well as updating on the latest Programmes and activities for CPA Branches.
Speakers and Presiding Officers attended the CPA meeting from Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, The Gambia, Grenada, Isle of Man, Kenya, Malta, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Sri Lanka, St Kitts and Nevis, Tonga and Zambia.
Above: Attendees at the CPA Speakers meeting included: The Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Hon. Ian Liddell-Grainger, MP; CPA Secretary-General, Stephen Twigg; Hon. Arthur Holder, MP, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Barbados (CPA Vice-Chairperson); Senator Hon. Sue Lines, President of the Senate of Australia; Hon. Angelo Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Malta; Hon. Seedy Njie, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia; Hon. Juan Watterson, Speaker of the House of Keys, Parliament of Isle of Man (Tynwald); Hon. Sir Alden McLaughlin, Speaker of the Parliament of Cayman Islands; Hon. Mahinda Abeywardena, Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka; Hon. Lanien Blanchette, MP, Speaker of the National Assembly of St Kitts and Nevis; Hon. Seah Kian Peng, Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore; Hon. Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Speaker of the Parliament of Bangladesh; Hon. Greg Fergus, Speaker of the House of Commons of Canada; Hon. Corine George-Massicote, Speaker of the House of Assembly of the British Virgin Islands; Hon. Malungo Chisangano, First Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of Zambia; Hon. Moses M. Wetang'ula, Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya; Hon. Professor Peter Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia; Hon. Lord Fakafanua, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga; Hon. Shaista Pervaiz Malik, MNA, National Assembly of Pakistan; Hon. Leo Cato, Speaker of the House of Representatives of Grenada; Senator Hon. Dr Dessima D. Williams, President of the Senate of Grenada; Rt Hon. Benjamin O’Kalu, Deputy Speaker of the Nigeria House of Representatives; Hon. Lawson Tabot Bakia, MP, National Assembly of Cameroon; Witson Tebeh Yankuba, Head of Chancery at the High Commission of Sierra Leone. Image CPA Headquarters.
The CPA Headquarters are grateful to the UK Speaker for kind permission to hold the meeting in the Speaker's State Apartments.