The Parliamentarian: 2019 Issue Four - 64th CPC Conference Issue

Page 84

COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY ASSOCIATION NEWS Focus on financial scrutiny in Commonwealth Parliaments at CAPAC regional workshop in Malaysia Commonwealth Parliamentarians from the CPA Asia and SouthEast Asia Regions have gathered for the second regional workshop of the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committees (CAPAC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 1 to 3 August 2019. The three-day workshop was opened by Hon. Dato’ Mohamad Ariff bin Md Yusof, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat at the Parliament of Malaysia and the opening keynote was given by Hon. Dato’ Dr Noraini Ahmad, MP, Chair of the Malaysia Public Accounts Committee and the outgoing Chairperson of the Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians (CWP). The workshop was attended by the Chairs, Members and Clerks from six Public Accounts Committees (PACs) from the regions and Members attended from Bangladesh, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Delegates were brought together in order to strengthen regional cooperation and to help PACs from the two regions to become more effective in their remit to scrutinise the value for money of public expenditure and hold their governments to account for the delivery of public services. The regional workshop focused on the work of Commonwealth Public Accounts Committees in promoting good governance and reaffirming that strong and independent Parliamentary oversight plays an important role in preserving the trust of citizens in the integrity of government. This is achieved through Public Accounts Committees that are effective, independent and transparent. The workshop included a keynote address via video message from Meg Hillier, MP, the Chair of the UK Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee and further sessions looked at Committee hearings and effective questioning techniques. The final day focused on fostering delegates’ ability to communicate and collaborate with national and international partners and Members heard from the Auditor-General of Malaysia, YBhg. Dato ‘Nik Azman Nik Abdul Majid about the audit process in relation to government.

The CAPAC regional workshops are funded in partnership with the Commonwealth Partnership for Democracy (CP4D) and delivered by the CPA UK Branch. Following the previous Pacific Regional workshop and the Asia Regional Workshop, a further workshop will be held in the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region. A final pan-Commonwealth workshop will take place in London, UK in early 2020 and will be an opportunity for CPA Regions and individual Public Accounts Committees to report on progress made in line with aims and objectives of the preceding regional workshops. The Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committees (CAPAC) was constituted in June 2014 by the Chairs and Members of Public Accounts and equivalent financial Committees of Commonwealth Parliaments and is designed to support the work of Commonwealth Public Accounts Committees in promoting good governance and financial scrutiny.

Tynwald hosts inaugural CPA Crown Dependencies Network event in the Isle of Man Members of the CPA Branches and the Parliaments of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man gathered at the Legislative Buildings in Douglas, Isle of Man on 17 September 2019 for the inaugural CPA Crown Dependencies Network event. Held under the auspices of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, the inaugural event is part of a new network, designed to bring together Parliamentarians from the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey to share their experiences and to discuss matters of common concern. Five States Deputies and one officer from each of the States of Jersey and Guernsey travelled to the Isle of Man for the event. From Guernsey: Deputy Mark Dorey, Deputy Jennifer Merrett, Deputy Barry Paint, Deputy Robert Prow, Deputy Dawn Tindall and Senior Deputy Greffier Mr Simon Ross; and from Jersey: Senator Sarah Ferguson, Deputy Gregory Guida, Deputy David Johnson, Deputy Hugh Raymond, Deputy Geoffrey Southern, and Assistant Greffier Mr Tim Oldham. The Members of the Tynwald (Isle of Man) delegation were: Ralph Peake, MHK (Head of delegation); Clare Barber, MHK; Martyn Perkins, MHK; Jane Poole-Wilson, MLC; Chris Robertshaw, MHK; and Hon. Chris Thomas, MHK.

350 | The Parliamentarian | 2019: Issue Four | 100th year of publishing

The delegates also met with Hon. Steve Rodan, MLC, President of Tynwald and President of the Legislative Council and Hon. Juan Watterson, SHK, Speaker of the House of Keys – both Members are Joint CPA Isle of Man Branch Presidents. During the three-day programme, the delegates were shown around the Legislative Buildings in Douglas and attended meetings with Members and officers responsible for various public services on topics of particular interest to them. The programme also included a plenary meeting during which the three delegations will debate how the Legislatures of the Crown Dependencies can work better together.


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