Georgetown, Guyana – (May 11, 2018) President David Granger, was yesterday, paid a courtesy call by Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Mr. Akbar Khan, who is currently in Guyana to hold follow-up discussions on the CPA-sponsored Post-Elections Seminar, which was held in 2016. These seminars are aimed at building the capacity of newly elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and serves as a refresher course for those who are returning.

During their discussions, President Granger said that “the CPA’s work is necessary but it has to be responsive to the needs of individual jurisdictions. We need the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to keep working on apparent contradictory factors so that we will be able to set new approaches to achieve certain outcomes.”

The President and Mr. Khan, a Guyanese by birth, also discussed the difficulties that are faced by MPs, who reside in far-flung, outlying areas to attend sittings and effectively represent their constituents. The CPA Secretary General assured the President that his organisation will continue to work to make parliaments in the Commonwealth more accessible, inclusive and engaging, especially for young people.

The CPA is an Associated Organisation of the Commonwealth that links members of national, state, provincial and territorial parliaments and legislatures across the Commonwealth. Its mission is to promote the advancement of parliamentary democracy by enhancing knowledge and understanding of democratic governance. It was founded in 1911.

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