At regional conference…

Speaker of the National Assembly, Ralph Ramkarran, addressing the gathering at the ceremony

SPEAKER of the National Assembly, Mr. Ralph Ramkarran has called for the Association of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP) to be resourced and seriously promoted as an institution of CARICOM, to bring the views of parliamentarians across the region to bear on the integration process.

He issued the call at the opening of 34th Annual Regional Conference of the Caribbean, the Americas and Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), in the National Cultural Centre, Mandela and Homestretch Avenues, Georgetown, Sunday evening.

In the audience were delegations from Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Jamaica, United Kingdom and Canada, who are debating, in the Guyana International Conference Centre at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara, socio-economic and political matters that threaten to hinder the region’s development.

The meeting is being held under the theme ‘Strengthening Parliamentary Democracy; Confronting Challenges and Enhancing Cooperation within the Region’.

&#Our deliberations can take place in the Association of Caribbean Community Parliamentarians (ACCP) which is established by Article 21 of the Revised Treaty as an institution of the Community,” Ramkarran suggested.

But he said he was sure many or even most of them may not have heard of the ACCP, because it has only met twice since the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas.

Ramkarran informed the gathering that he believed the last meeting was cancelled due to lack of interest.

He maintained that, effectively organised and sufficiently supported, the ACCP can provide an important forum for supplementing the process of decision-making and integration within the region.

Ramkarran disclosed that the Regional Executive Committee met before the opening and discussed the matter and he said proposals will be put to the conference.

REALITY
Thanking the Government of Guyana and the CPA for the assistance and support in making the conference a reality, he said this region of the grouping has Members of 28 Parliaments which meet once a year in a member country to discuss matters of topical interests and the best way to promote and strengthen parliamentary democracy.

Noting this year is Guyana’s turn, Ramkarran said: “In keeping with the objective of the conference, we have struggled long and hard to ensure the delegates and observers will have a constructive and productive regional conference which will add to the diligent efforts being made to solve the pressing economic and social problems of the region and advance parliamentary democracy”.

&#We have also tried to put in place measures to ensure that you receive a sample of our traditional Guyanese warmth and hospitality,” he assured.

He said the forum presents yet another annual opportunity to review the achievements of the past year and determine a strategy to deal with the new challenges which confront the region today.

Ramkarran reminded that, at this time, the world is facing a financial crisis complicated by a growing threat from climate change, increasing criminal activities in the region and other problems generated by external events as well as internal circumstances.

&#These challenges place an increased burden of expectation on you, the elected representatives of the people, to respond to their demands. It is my view and I commend it to you,that an environment of increasing strong adherence to parliamentary democracy is more vital now than ever before,” he said.

Ramkarran said, that achievement will strengthen the societies and further empower voices and advocacy.

He said, in planning the programme, a wide array of topics was selected, that will capture the main issues which today concern the region and people.

&#I hope that, in the course of examining these issues, we will arrive at conclusions which will help our parliaments to chart a way forward,” the Speaker said.

He said the issues include the global economic crisis and its social impact; priorities in spending; the environment and climate change; public safety; human rights and strengthening of parliaments, all reflective of what was dealt with during the just concluded CARICOM Heads of Government Summit in Guyana.

Ramkarran continued: “We parliamentarians, nevertheless, believe that we have a responsibility to examine and support the decision of the Heads on those matters where we find agreement.”

SUPPLEMENT
He noted that parliamentarians can also supplement the information presented to the Heads in areas which demand attention but which experts have little time to address, having regard to the pressing demands of other major issues.

According to Ramkarran, one such matter is the delivery of justice.

He revealed that, during informal discussions with colleagues from Jamaica and Barbados, he learnt of the similarities of challenges faced, particularly in the area of huge backlog of cases.

&#There are a lot of experiences we can interchange. For example, my colleagues were surprised to learn that our National Assembly recently passed legislation providing for a time limit within which (Court) decisions are to be given,” he stated.

Guyana is being represented at the forum by a bi-partisan team which comprises two members of the governing People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) and one from the Opposition.

Active CPA branches now exist in 169 national, State, provincial and territorial parliaments, with a total membership of approximately 16,000 parliamentarians.

The association, founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and renamed the CPA in 1949, serves to provide easier exchange of information and facilitate closer understanding and more frequent intercourse among those engaged in the parliamentary governance of the various Commonwealth States.

Last year’s conference was held in Westminster, London, England.