On the morning of Tuesday, December 19th , 2025, members of the Anguilla House of Assembly’s Administrative Committee were joined by former Members of the House along with public servants from various ministries and technical personal, as the House’s new website and an innovative tool for House known as the Hansard AI Project was introduced.
Committee Member, Mr. Merrick Richardson welcomed the gathering, and the event opened with a special Prayer of Invocation delivered by Deputy Clerk of the House, Ms. Vanisha Proctor.
The Hansard AI and Website projects were developed by local talent and local companies. The website offers a comprehensive guide on the Assembly’s work and roles of its members. The public will now have access to House sittings, business papers and Committee information as well as a growing library of educational resources for schools and civic learning.
The innovative Hansard AI application provides more accessible, searchable parliamentary records. This platform reflects the Assembly’s commitment to transparency, accountability and strengthening democratic participation.
The Hansard AI and the House of Assembly Website are results of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s (CPA) assessment carried out in February 2020 in which it assessed Anguilla’s House of Assembly against international bench marks. The assessment report showed that Anguilla’s Legislative Assembly failed to meet most bench marks due to systemic weaknesses, limited financial and administrative resources, outdated standing orders, poor public engagement and a lack of independence.
Among several key issues identified back then were inadequate infrastructure and resources, minimal public engagement, no website, poor communication, limited accessibility and no code of conduct or public register of interest. As a result, a Parliamentary Reform Committee was established to address these matters.
Member of the House Administration Committee, Mr. Merrick Richardson, delivered the Opening Remarks at Tuesday’s launch at the House of Assembly:
“Today’s launch is more than a technological upgrade.” Mr. Richardson said. “It is a declaration of our values by embracing innovation and accessibility. We affirm that governance in Anguilla belongs to everyone. The Hansard AI and our new website will not only strengthen accountability but they will inspire confidence in our democratic institutions for generations to come.”
Member of Parliament, the Hon. Shellya Rogers-Webster, who is also a member of the House Administration Committee, gave an overview of the Hansard AI and the New Website which can now accommodate persons who are visually impaired.
“The Hansard AI project modernizes parliamentary record keeping by converting the audio recording of House proceedings into formatted Hansard style transcripts,” she explained. “These will be downloaded as PDFs and will be searchable online, improving access and reducing administrative workloads.”
“The Hansard chat-box,” Mrs. Rogers-Webster said, “will assist users by answering questions on Session Bills and members. This initiative is funded through the Government’s capital budget…and it reflects a strong commitment to transparency and efficiency.”
“The new House of Assembly Website,” she continued, “will serve as an independent platform for the parliamentary information, hosting Hansard reports, bills, acts, live-streams and educational resources. The website will feature accessibility tools such as a screen reader, compatibility, close-caption live- streams and multi-format documents.”
“The site provides barrier- free access for all citizens, promoting inclusivity and democratic engagement,” Mrs. Rogers-Webster explained.
Premier Cora Richardson-Hodge reflected: “We look back on the days when we had no Facebook capabilities. Since then we have come a long way. Now, not only are the House sessions carried live, but now we can go back and play and we can receive transcripts. With this new Hansard AI Project we can now do even more. I think the House Administrative Committee led by the Honourable Speaker of the House, Ms. Tara Carter, has done an excellent job in bringing us forward in today’s context with the realization of the Hansard AI Project and our new website.”
Speaker of the House, Ms. Tara Carter expressed her excitement over the new Website and the Hansard AI Project. She gave a rundown of the influential role she was able to play in making the technological project become a reality. She also indicated that not too long from now the House would be eliminating the need for paper documentation. “We are going digital. All of the House members are going to be obtaining devices in the New Year, and we are not going to be ‘killing anymore trees’ for paper,” Ms. Carter promised.
Deputy Clerk Vanisha Proctor, who demonstrated the use of the Hansard AI and navigated through the new website, said: “As we launch, we affirm that democracy works best when all people can be informed and included. This website brings the work of the Assembly closer to the public, and it ensures that no one is left out.” She encouraged members of the public to explore the website.
