VIEW FROM THE CPA SMALL BRANCHES CHAIRPERSON
3Ds: DEMOCRACY, DIVERSITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMONWEALTH View from the CPA Small Branches Chairperson Like other organisations which have their own agencies. It refers to relationships between the state and values, priorities and ambitions, the Commonwealth its citizens, among diverse groups and among individuals. and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association A good inclusive definition of democracy as a way of equally keep their values at heart. Three terms which organising society is provided by John Gastil (1993). He encapsulate the sheer core of these organisations, defines democracy in the following terms: amongst others, are democracy, diversity and “Democracy connotes wide-ranging liberty, including the development – which are also known as the Three freedom to decide one’s own course in life and the right to play Ds. This article will take us through a journey of an equal role in forging a common destiny. Democracy means these interlinked concepts which make up the social and civil equality and a rejection of discrimination and Commonwealth and the CPA as we know them prejudice. Democracy embraces the notion of pluralism and today. The concepts are not taken in any form of cultural diversity. It welcomes a wide range of perspectives Hon. Anġelo Farrugia, importance or preferential manner, but how one and lifestyles, moving different social groups towards MP, Chairperson of the naturally leads on to the other. peaceful coexistence or respectful integration. Democracy CPA Small Branches and Being a political and cultural organisation of represents the ideal of a cohesive community of people living Speaker of the House of great complexity, the Commonwealth does its work and working together and finding fair, non-violent ways to Representatives of the guided by a philosophy based on certain key values reconcile conflicts. In sum, democracy embodies all three Parliament of Malta. and principles. On the one hand, the Commonwealth elements of the famous French Revolutionary slogan (liberty, promotes democracy as a fair method of politics; equality, fraternity).” (Gastil, 1993) diversity where a voluntary association of nations being very diverse Heads of Government identified democracy as a fundamental in nature works conjointly; and some of which are still undergoing political value for the Commonwealth in the Harare Declaration, development on political and administrative levels. The values that recognising ‘the inalienable right to participate by means of free and underpin the fundamental political values of the Commonwealth, as democratic processes in framing the society in which they live.’ This defined in the Harare Commonwealth Declaration of 1991, namely means that the Commonwealth is committed to democracy both as a adherence to human rights and democratic principles are what makes style of government and as a style of decision-making. the Commonwealth a vibrant and ever-present organisation. However, saying that democracy is a core Commonwealth value does not mean that every member country is or should be governed by Democracy the same parliamentary system. The connection is both more subtle and The Commonwealth’s strong commitment to deepening the democratic more lasting. As an association, the Commonwealth embraces diversity systems in each member state is reflected in the Commonwealth and firmly rejects discrimination based on race, culture, size or level of Charter, as applied to all the Commonwealth’s Parliaments. These development. Where members hold different perspectives on issues, include some of the smallest and some of the biggest in the world. The there is agreement to disagree but to continue dialogue, and efforts are work to update the CPA Benchmarks needed to reflect this diversity and made to pursue peaceful reconciliation of disputes. to incorporate a range of commitments that the international community Critics have suggested that the Commonwealth’s support for had made in the past twelve years, particularly in the UN Sustainable democracy has been inconsistent, particularly since there have been Development Goals. The responsibility for addressing improvements military governments and one-party states in several Commonwealth in procedures remained with each Parliament. The Recommended countries in Africa, Asia and the South Pacific, during the 1980s. Yet Benchmarks for Democratic Legislatures, developed by the CPA, have since the Harare Declaration of 1991, there has been a dramatic increase in fact been a useful resource and were updated in the past months to in the Commonwealth Secretariat’s operational support for democracy, keep abreast of the latest parliamentary developments. The Maltese including: assistance for elections and acting as observers during the Parliament has contributed to the revision of the CPA Benchmarks. The election period, ensuring free and fair elections, training for election officers amendments included our local Constitutional Court amendments as to and policy-makers; assistance with constitutional and legislative document the applicable guidelines to witnesses appearing before Parliamentary drafting; providing emissaries to countries facing political crises and the Committees. These give power to the Committee to summon witnesses possible breakdown of democracy; and training for lawyers and judges which has been curtailed. Another suggestion was the administrative on international human rights law. There has also been an increase in the issues our Parliament has been facing since becoming autonomous, number of democratic states, and a reduction in military governments among such as recruitment within the Parliamentary Service. Commonwealth members. For a brief period in 1999, all Commonwealth Democracy means more than a set of government institutions or countries were classified as democracies whilst embracing its diversity. 170 | The Parliamentarian | 2018: Issue Three