The participants of the 43rd annual regional conference of the CPA began their meeting with a colourful opening ceremony at the Marriott Grand Cayman Resort today (Monday, 18 June 2018).
The 43rd annual conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s the Caribbean, the Americas and the Atlantic Region opened in a colourful ceremony today (Monday, 18 June 2018).
Held at the Marriott Grand Cayman Resort, the 62 participants include Speakers of the House from Antigua and Barbuda, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, St. Kitts and Nevis, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Lucia and Turks and Caicos, in addition to the host Cayman Islands, whose delegation is headed by Hon. McKeeva Bush, OBE, JP.
Other notable participants are four guest speakers representing Canada, Jamaica, Isle of Man and United Kingdom as well as an observer from Cuba, who is a member of Parliament and theologian in that country.
Each delegation was escorted by a smartly dressed National Cadet Corps member carrying their country’s national flag, which enhanced the colour of the event.
Following opening remarks from the Cayman Islands Speaker, Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, MBE, and Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Ezzard Miller, also welcomed the delegates. This was followed by the formal opening of the conference by His Excellency the Acting Governor, Mr. Franz Manderson, MBE.
The programme, emceed by Councillor Austin Harris, featured an audio-visual segment featuring a gospel song and a hymn. It also included singing of the National Anthem by Ms Leanna DaCosta, a poem reading by Ms Nasaria Suckoo-Chollette and the Cayman National Song by the Williams Quartet. Rev. Mary Graham led the gathering in prayer.
The delegates will participate in plenary sessions reflecting different aspects of the theme, “Building Small Developing States” of the week-long conference as well as attend their regional executive committee and annual general meetings.