Parliamentarians Meet with CPA’s Secretary General

Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Akbar Khan is in Belize. Khan arrived a few days ago and he has paid a courtesy call to Prime Minister Dean Barrow and to the Special Envoy for Women and Children, Kim Simplis-Barrow. Khan also met with Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington as well with students of Anglican Cathedral College where the students learned about the association. Formed in 1911, the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association connects and promotes parliamentarians and their staff to identify benchmarks of good governance and the implementation of Commonwealth values. So far Khan has met with parliamentarians from both political parties as well as Senators.  Khan explains what he hopes to achieve during his time in Belize.

Akbar Khan, Secretary General, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association

Akbar Khan

“We have a specific toolkit, programs with support members to do their work more effectively and to support parliament to be more effective.  I think one of the more important parts of what we do at the CPA is to recognize that the essence of democracy can stand for parliamentary office subject to the constitution’s requirements. New members are not prepared to parliament. We don’t have a qualification to become parliamentarian and therefore parliamentarians who are new but also established parliamentarians have to continue to up skill themselves to meet the needs of a very demanding society.”

Laura Tucker-Longsworth, Speaker of the House of Representatives

“We thought that it would be a good time for him to come in, visit us and share some of their programs and activities. Belize has been a member of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association and we think it is very important for us to take advantage of all the programs that they offer in terms of education the public about parliament, Commonwealth but more importantly helping us to improve and modernize.”