_{Photo: Senior Clerk Assistant, Eudice Gibson; Minister of Investment, Hon. Jorge “Milin” Espat; President of the Senate, Hon. Carolyn Trench Sandiford; and The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Valarie Woods}

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Fri. Nov. 8, 2024

Several members of Belize’s parliament traveled to Sydney, Australia to attend the 67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference (CPC), held between November 3 and 8, under the theme, “Engage, Empower, Sustain: Charting the course for resilient democracy”.

The members of Belize’s parliament who attended the conference included the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Valarie Woods; President of the Senate, Hon. Carolyn Trench Sandiford; Minister of Investment, Hon. Jorge “Milin” Espat; and Senior Clerk Assistant, Eudice Gibson.

This year’s conference was one of the largest gatherings of Commonwealth parliamentarians, with over 700 decision-makers and parliamentary staff from across the world. It was hosted by the Parliament of New South Wales and the CPA New South Wales Branch, and provided an opportunity for the delegates to engage in discussions that will help shape more inclusive and sustainable legislative practices in Belize.

The CPC gave attendees an opportunity to collaborate among themselves on serious issues such as gender equality, disability inclusion, and stronger democratic institutions.

The conference actually consisted of a number of meetings and sub-conferences, which included the 40th CPA Small Branches Conference, during which Hon. Woods was elected as its chairperson and will serve a three-year term; the 8th CPA Commonwealth Women’s Parliament (CWP) Conference; Meetings of the Commonwealth Parliamentarians with Disabilities (CPWD), the CPA Executive Committee, and the CPA Interim Executive Board; the 67th CPA General Assembly; and the 58th Society of Clerks at the Table (SOCATT) meeting.

The Belize delegation’s participation in the CPC aligns with the country’s commitment to strengthening democracy and parliamentary engagement on both a national and global scale.

They are scheduled to return to Belize on Saturday, November 9.

(AMANDALA Ed. Note: CPA – Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.)