Anguilla hosted a special sitting of Parliament on Tuesday 4th April, 2023 to officially open the Second Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ three-day Conference. The event took place in the Atlin Noraldo Harrigan Parliamentary Building, presided over by Anguilla’s Honourable Speaker of the House, Mrs. Barbra Webster Bourne.
The conference ran from Monday 3rd to Wednesday 5th April, 2023, under the theme: “Deepening Parliamentary Democracy in the British Overseas Territories – a Roadmap to 2030”.
Counterpart Speakers from other British Overseas Territories were in attendance, including: the Hon. Dennis Lister, JP MP of Bermuda; the Hon. Katherine Wilks, LLB, MP of Cayman Islands; the Hon. Keith Biles, JP B.Sc., ACIB of the Falkland Islands; the Hon. Charliena White of Montserrat; the Hon. Cyril Gunnel of St. Helena; the Hon. Gordon Burton of Turks and Caicos Islands; and the Rt. Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP of the United Kingdom.
Addressing the Sitting the Honourable Speaker of the Anguilla House of Assembly Mrs. Web
ster-Bourne highlighted the significance of having the Speakers of the Houses of the various Parliaments of the British Overseas Territories present at the House of Assembly in Anguilla.
“I am delighted and deeply honoured,” she said, “to formally welcome you to Anguilla, and to this special Sitting of the House of Assembly to mark the opening ceremony of this year’s Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers Conference. Anguillians are a warm, hospitable people, and over the course of your short stay here, I hope that you would be able to partake in a bit of the Anguilla experience.”
She then recounted the beneficial experience that she gained at the enlightening First Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference held in London last year, when Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Boyle, hosted the delegates so heartily.
“As speakers of the UK Commons and Overseas Territories Parliaments we came together last year for the very first in-person conference which was hosted in London by the UK Speaker,” Mrs. Webster-Bourne said. “I am sure that I speak on behalf of all those present when I say that I found the conference to be productive and illuminating and that we had frank, robust and fruitful discussions.”
“As host of this year’s conference, it will be remiss of me not to thank the host of that conference last year for his hospitality and commitment to the Overseas Territories,” she said.
“Speaker Hoyle, thank you for your on-going work to help raise the profile, issues and causes that affect all overseas territories, and thanks for your hospitality [shown to us] in London in 2022,” she said.
The Hon. Speaker expressed her delight that Anguilla was the first British Overseas Territory to host the noble event.
“I am pleased that we have made it to a second edition of this conference, and I am grateful for the opportunity for Anguilla to be the first Overseas Territory to host it…,” she said.
“I hope,” she stressed, “that this will be an important moment in the history of Anguilla, the Overseas Territories and in the history of our relationship between the United Kingdom and its territories.”
Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, pledged his commitment to working with Anguilla and the other Overseas Territories in helping to raise their profile and deepen Parliamentary democracy.
“The Commonwealth and the British Overseas Territories are long and deeply held partners of mine. They are part of the British Family, even though at times it may not feel that way,” he said. “Since becoming Speaker, I have been determined to use this platform to ensure that we can achieve your hopes and aspirations together. So, I want to give to Anguilla and the other Overseas Territories the assurance that we can work for the better and for more change to happen.”
The Honourable Leader of the Opposition Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge in her remarks, highlighted the need for necessary checks and balances for the proper functioning of parliamentary democracy, as well as the earnest separation of the three branches of Government.
“The strength of Parliamentary Opposition depends on many factors,” she observed. “But if the system itself makes Parliamentary Opposition impotent, democratic governance is inherently weakened. In other words, enabling the Opposition in Parliament to have the means to fulfill its functions is a prerequisite for the good functioning of parliamentary democracy.”
“Another welcome topic, The Doctrine of Separation of Powers, divides the institution of Government into three branches, namely: the legislative; the executive; and the judicial,” she said. “In many of the Overseas Territories, however, the persons sitting in the executive making the key decisions are the same persons who are passing the laws in the legislature. The question to ask is whether this circumstance represents a true democratic structure.”
In his remarks to the Opening Ceremony the Honourable Premier, Dr. Ellis L. Webster spoke of the importance of Parliament in an era when democracy is being challenged.
“The role of the Parliament is more crucial these days as democracy is being challenged around the world. Some governments are using authoritarian measures to suppress the will of the people,” he said. “Parliaments should perform more than just the basic functions of passing laws or holding committee meetings. The Parliament has an important part to play in the public on democratic values and it should provide a forum to raise awareness on national and global challenges.”
“As such, Parliaments need the space, the human and financial resources, and the capabilities to carry out these functions,” the Honourable Premier said. “It is essential that the public have confidence in Parliament as an institution which is intended to safeguard democracy. Parliament must keep the next generation engaged, so I am pleased that our Youth Parliament is represented here today.”
“Parliament is not just a place to oppose for opposing sake,” he pointed out. “But it must be a place for collaboration, representation and legislation. Further, Parliament must provide accessibility transparency and accountability.”
Over the course of the three-days, various topics were discussed including Separation of Powers in the Overseas Territories; Constitutional Relationship Between the Overseas Territories and the UK Parliament; Parliamentary Independence and Governance; Parliamentary Independence and Budgetary Management; and The Parliamentary Building, Precincts and Security.
