2026 COTSC held in Cayman Islands for discussion on parliamentary democracy and Artificial Intelligence
Commonwealth Speakers from UK and Overseas Territories meet in Georgetown for discussions on technology and parliamentary democracy
The 2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC) has been held in the Cayman Islands from 26 to 28 May 2026.
The Conference was hosted by the Speaker of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, Hon. D. Ezzard Miller, MP. Speakers and Clerks attended from Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos and the United Kingdom.
At this year’s Conference, the Speakers and Parliamentary Clerks examined aspects of building strong Legislatures and effective parliamentary democracy focusing on Artificial Intelligence and digital technology, sharing best practice and presiding over parliamentary proceedings.
The CPA Secretariat was represented by Deputy Head of Programmes, Lydia Buchanan, who spoke about the CPA’s work on Benchmarking, good governance and supporting professional development through the CPA Parliamentary Academy.
Reflecting on the Conference, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, Hon. D. Ezzard Miller, MP said:
“The 5th Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference provides an important forum of parliamentary leaders to discuss issues of common interest, exchange experiences and learn from one another.
As Legislatures continue to navigate an evolving environment, opportunities such as these helps to strengthen our institutions, reinforce democratic principles and foster cooperation across the Overseas Territories.
It was an honour for the Cayman Islands to host this year’s COTSC Conference and to welcome our colleagues from across the Territories and the United Kingdom.”
Speakers and Presiding Officers attending included:
- Speaker of the Anguilla House of Assembly, Hon. Tara K. Carter
- Speaker of the Bermuda House of Assembly, Hon. Dennis P. Lister, JP, MP
- Speaker of the British Virgin Islands House of Assembly, Hon. Corine N. George-Massicote
- Speaker of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, Hon. D. Ezzard Miller, MP
- Speaker of the Gibraltar Parliament, Hon. Karen Ramagge, MP
- Speaker of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly, Hon. Marjorie Smith
- Speaker of the House of Assembly of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Hon. Gordon J. Burton, MHA
- Principal Deputy Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Hon. Nusrat Ghani, MP
2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC)
2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC)
2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC)
2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC)
To read the 2026 COTSC Communique please click here.
The Secretariat for the COTSC Conference is provided by the UK House of Commons Speaker’s Office and the CPA Headquarters and CPA UK Branch are official partners.
All of the Legislatures attending are Branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association across two of the CPA’s Regions - the CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Region and the CPA Caribbean, Americas and the Atlantic Region.
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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 media enquiries, please contact communications@cpahq.org.
