A delegation from Commonwealth Parliamentary Association International Headquarters met with the Parliament of Saint Lucia last week as part of a CPA Benchmarks self-assessment exercise.

The CPA’s Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures provide a framework for excellence in Commonwealth parliamentary and legislative practice and, building on the 2006 and 2018 versions of the Benchmarks, were updated in 2025 to create a set of standards which meet high levels of good governance and robust parliamentary democracy. The Parliament of Saint Lucia previously undertook a CPA Benchmarks assessment in 2019 and so this was an opportunity for reassessment under the new updated benchmarks.

In recent years, a total of 44 Commonwealth Legislatures have undertaken self-assessments against the CPA Benchmarks with the Parliament of Saint Lucia now the 45th to complete their assessment.

The Parliament of Saint Lucia is a bicameral Legislature. The Senate has 11 Senators appointed by the Governor-General of Saint Lucia (with 6 appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister, 3 on the advice of the Leader of the Opposition and 2 appointed by the Governor-General). The House of Assembly has up to 19 Members - 17 elected Members who each represent a constituency with terms lasting no more than 5 years plus the Speaker and the Attorney-General. The Speaker is elected by Members either from within the House of Assembly or from outside the House.

Speaking about the CPA Democratic Benchmarks self-assessment, the Speaker of the Saint Lucia House of Assembly, Hon. Claudius J. Francis, said:

“Democracy thrives when Parliaments act in concert with the will of the people. The CPA Democratic Benchmarks self-assessment is a significant tool in achieving that goal.”

The President of the Senate of Saint Lucia, Senator Hon. Alvina Reynolds, said:

“Engaging in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Democratic Benchmarks self-assessment reflects our strong commitment to upholding the highest standards of accountability, transparency and integrity to better serve the people.”

The CPA Democratic Benchmarks self-assessment was undertaken by Ms Chantal La Roche, Director of Legal Services at the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago and Jack Hardcastle, Good Governance Project Lead at the CPA Headquarters.

As part of their visit, the CPA delegation met with the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition, both Presiding Officers and the Parliament of Saint Lucia’s Clerk, Mrs Esmalene Cox-Jn Louis, as well as wider Members and staff from across both Houses. The CPA team also held discussions with a range of other stakeholders including the Electoral Commission, Attorney-General and Auditor-General, in addition to representatives of Saint Lucia’s civil society groups and media outlets.

The Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Stephen Twigg, said:

“Effective Parliaments are the cornerstone of good governance, and the CPA works to ensure that Legislatures can function to their maximum potential. Self-assessment against the CPA Benchmarks ensures that Parliaments can vigorously scrutinise their practices and procedures to become better performing Legislatures tomorrow than they are today. In addition, the CPA Benchmarks self-assessments have strengthened and continue to develop public outreach, engagement and confidence across the Commonwealth.”

Video: CPA’s Jack Hardcastle speaks about the CPA Benchmarks assessment at the Parliament of Saint Lucia (interview with DBS TV St Lucia) - watch the video below or click here.

Following last week’s visit to Saint Lucia, an Outcomes Report from the CPA Benchmarks self-assessment will be generated with Recommendations for democratic reform to strengthen parliamentary institutions in Saint Lucia. The Report will play an important role in developing the effectiveness of the Parliament of Saint Lucia and help contribute towards its continued implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The CPA Benchmarks Self-Assessment was supported with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). CPA Benchmarks self-assessments are usually followed by  Technical Assistance Programmes which could involve updating the Legislature’s Rules of Procedure, delivering professional training for Members and parliamentary staff, or developing corporate policies and multi-annual strategic plans.

To find out more about this work please email hq.sec@cpahq.org. The CPA’s Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures are also available to download from the CPA website.

-ENDS-

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is an international community of 180 Parliaments and Legislatures working together to deepen the Commonwealth’s commitment to the highest standards of democratic governance. Founded in 1911, the CPA brings together Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and implement the enduring values of the Commonwealth. It offers a vast opportunity for Parliamentarians and parliamentary staff to collaborate on issues of mutual interest and to share good practice.