Hon. Hector John, newly appointed Leader of the Opposition in the Parliament of Dominica, left the State over the weekend for Trinidad, where he will attend the 35th Conference of Regional Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.
This year’s conference is being held under the theme "Modernisation of Caribbean Parliaments: Forging our own identity". Some 60 delegates representing the Parliaments of the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic region will gather at the Parliament Chamber and the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Port of Spain for deliberations on such important topics as:
• Effective measures of ensuring accountability and transparency in government: best practices for smaller Legislatures
• Parliament as an Autonomous Body - separation from the Executive Branch of Government
• Advancing our democracies through constitutional reform: fixed term for a Prime Minister
• Making the Legislature more accessible and interactive for citizens: how to make this possible.


Among the delegates who would be attending the conference are the Chief Minister of Anguilla, Hubert Hughes, Speakers of the Parliaments of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Jamaica and Montserrat, former Premiere and Deputy Speaker of Bermuda Dame Jennifer Smith, Hon. Norris Prevost, Member of Parliament for Roseau Central, other Ministers and Members of Parliament from the Caribbean.
Hon John, fresh from a resounding re-election victory, following his seat in Parliament having been declared vacant by the Speaker of the House, Alix Boyd Knight, sees the conference as an important opportunity to network with and update the Caribbean colleagues on the state of Democracy in Dominica. “Having been the victim of the Speaker declaring my seat in parliament vacant, although the people of Salisbury, Morne Rachette and Coulibistrie voted me back overwhelmingly, this Conference will serve as an opportunity to dialogue with and update regional officials of both Government, and Opposition parties, on the critical threats facing our Parliamentary Democracy in Dominica, by the continued absence of voter ID cards, a padded electoral list, denial of fair access to state owned media to the opposition, and the denial of Opposition rights in Parliament. I will also be looking for networking opportunities between youth and sports organizations in Trinidad, and youth and sports organizations in Dominica.”