From August 13th – 17th, 2017, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House will host the 18th Biennial Meeting of the Presiding Officers and Clerks of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. The conference will be held at the Magdalena Grand Golf and Beach Resort, Lowlands, Tobago under the theme Parliamentary Accountability and Governance – Comparing Institutional Designs. Delegates from sixteen (16) member territories have confirmed their attendance.
The Presiding Officers and Clerks of the Trinidad and Tobago Branch are:
- Sen. the Hon. Christine Kangaloo – President of the Senate
- Hon. Bridgid Mary Annisette-George, MP – Speaker of the House
- Mr. Esmond Forde, MP – Deputy Speaker
- Sen. Nigel de Freitas – Vice President of the Senate
- Mrs. Jacqueline Sampson-Meiguel – Clerk of the House
- Mr. Brian Caesar – Clerk of the Senate
In accordance with Article 12 of the Constitution of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the Conference of Presiding Officers and Clerks is constitutionally due every two (2) years and Trinidad and Tobago confirmed its commitment to host the 2017 conference at the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region held in Tortola in 2015.
The full list of members of the Trinidad and Tobago Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association include:
- Hon. Dr. Keith Rowley, MP, Prime Minister – Joint President
- Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar, SC, MP, Leader of the Opposition – Joint President
- Sen. The Hon. Christine Kangaloo – President of the Senate
- Mrs. Bridgid Annisette-George, MP – Speaker of the House
- Mrs. Camille Robinson-Regis, MP
- Mrs. Glenda Jennings-Smith, MP
- Mr. Foster Cummings
- Dr. Surujrattan Rambachan, MP
- Brig. Gen. (Ret) Ancil Antoine, MP
- Mr. Wade Mark
- Mr. Taurel Shrikissoon
- Mrs. Jacqui Sampson-Meiguel, Clerk of the House – Honorary Secretary
- Mr. Brian Caesar, Clerk of the Senate – Honorary Secretary