Arlene Bussette is the Assistant Director of Communications and Research at Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, London, United Kingdom.

Ms Bussette is here in Cayman for the Post-Election Seminar for newly elected Members of Parliament, as well as those returning to Parliament.

She addressed the members of the LA on Wednesday (13)

POST ELECTION SEMINAR FOR THE CAYMAN ISLANDS LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

OPENING REMARKS BY MS ARLENE BUSSETTTE

13 NOVEMBER, 2013

GEORGE TOWN, GRAND CAYMAN CAYMAN ISLANDS

Your Excellency, Premier of the Cayman Islands, Honourable Alden McLaughlin

Speaker of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly, Honourable Juliana O’Connor-Connolly

Honourable Members of Parliament

Honourable Clerks

Parliamentary Officials and Staff

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Morning.

I am honoured and privileged to be able to give some brief remarks at the opening of this important Post-Election Seminar for newly elected Members of Parliament, as well as those returning to Parliament.

I bring greetings from the Chairperson of the CPA Executive Committee, Rt. Hon. Sir Alan Haselhurst, Members of the CPA Executive Committee, the CPA Secretary-General, Dr William F. Shija, and the entire CPA family.

On behalf of the resource team and indeed, on my own behalf, I wish to thank you all for the very warm hospitality and friendship extended to us since our arrival in George Town, Grand Cayman.

Honourable Members,

The Post Election Seminar is one of the core programmes of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.  Held following a general election, the Post-Election Seminar is aimed at building the capacity of newly elected Members of Parliament so that they function efficiently and effectively in the performance of their democratic duties.  It also serves as a refresher course for returning MPs.

Assisting in this process is an experienced team of experts, drawn from within the Commonwealth family in the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region.

These experts will share their experiences, as well as learn from you as we work together to identify benchmarks of good governance. Their aim simply, to assist you to function effectively in Parliament, in its committees and in your other political duties.

The Resource Team is:

Hon. Wade Mark, MP

Speaker of the House of Representative – Trinidad and Tobago

Hon. K. H. Randolph Horton, JP, MP

Speaker of House Assembly – Bermuda

Mrs. Heather Cooke – Clerk to the Houses of Parliament – Jamaica

And joining us later today,

Hon. Alix Boyd-Knights, MHA

Speaker of the House of Assembly – Dominica

The CPA has held in excess of 50 Post-Election Seminars in 30 other Commonwealth jurisdictions since 1991 as part of its programme of strengthening the institution of Parliament. (The latest ones this year being for Sierra Leone and Lesotho).

These Seminars and the Association’s other events and its electronic and paper publications promote understanding of the parliamentary system in its many forms throughout the Commonwealth.

Your Excellency, Honourable Speaker, Honourable Members,

Your participation is important for the success of this programme and I look forward to very interactive sessions on the various topics in the programme before you.

I wish you the very best of your deliberations.

Thank you.