IT-TLETTAX-IL LEĠIŻLATURA P.L. 3415 Dokument imqiegħed fuq il-Mejda tal-Kamra tad-Deputati fis-Seduta Numru 224 tas-6 ta’ Mejju 2019 mill-Ispeaker, l-Onor. Anġlu Farrugia. ___________________________ Raymond Scicluna Skrivan tal-Kamra CPA Parliamentary Strengthening Seminar for the Parliament of Bermuda 1 - 2 May 2019 Hamilton, Bermuda Hon Anglu Farrugia, Speaker Parliamentary Delegation Report to the House of Representatives. Date: 1"- 2nd May 2019 Venue: House of Parliament, Hamilton Maltese delegation: Honourable Anglu Farrugia, President of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Malta Programme: At the invitation of the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Mr Akbar Khan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Malta in his capability as Chairperson of the Small Branches of the CPA, Honourable Anglu Farrugia was invited to deliver a speech at the Opening Ceremony at the CPA Parliamentary Strengthening Seminarfor the Parliament of Bermuda. \ I Report drawn by the Hon. Anglu Farrugia, Speaker of the House of Representatives, following his participation as Chair of the CPA Small Branches at the CPA Parliamentary Strengthening Seminar for Bermuda, held between the 151 & 2"d May 2019 By letter dated g th April 2019, the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), Mr Akbar Khan, extended an invitation to me to serve as a member of the CPA Resource Team during a CPA Parliamentary Strengthening Seminar for the Bermuda Parliament, held in Hamilton, Bermuda, on 1- 2 May 2019. This invitation was extended to me in view of my Chairmanship of the Small Branches of the said CPA. This Parliamentary Strengthening Seminar consisted of a two-day Seminar on pa rliamentary practice and procedure, where experts could share good practice from other Commonwea lth Pa rliaments and relate these experiences, in discussions, to the local scene. The aim of the Seminar was to building capacity of newly elected Members of Parliament to enable them to function more efficiently and effectively in the performance of their democratic duties. The Seminar was opened by the Honourable Denis Lister, JP, MP, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Bermuda, who was followed by Mr Akbar Khan, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. I then delivered my opening remarks and was followed by the Honourable Kathy Lynn Simmons, JP, Attorney General, Bermuda. In my Opening Remarks, I congratulated Bermuda for its Parliament which is 395 years old, the oldest in the Commonwealth outside the British Isles, and for having one of the world's highest GDP per 1 capita for most of the 20 h century. I pointed out the importance of Small Branches in the CPA and mentioned the fact that the CPA has held a yearly conference sin ce 1981, aimed specifically at Small Branches. In 2014, the CPA Executive Committee proposed the establishment of the Small Branches Chairperson position, which was subsequently agreed by the General Assembly, a position to which I was elected in December 2016. I referred to the CPA Small Branches Steering Committee, w hich consists of a representative of each region of the CPA in which Small Branches exist. I highlighted the Small Branches Strategic Plan which was developed at the Small Branches Strategy Meeting held in Valletta, Malta, in October 2017. I referred to last year's meeting convened in Nairobi in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme which looked at how Small Branches can manage the implementation of the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change. I proudly stated that Malta has in the space of three years altered the energy system from heavy fuel oil to gas dependency only. I also informed that last October one of Malta's MEPs presented a report to the European Parliament on how to mitigate the challenges of climate change, which was subsequently endorsed by all Environmental Ministers of the European Union, who agreed to meet the challenges by 2025, 2030 and 2040. I emphasised that this shows that Small Branches can, and do, have a voice on the international stage and have an obligation to use it. Indeed, I stated that "we cannot wait until others do what we expect from them - we have to lead by example. How do we do this? By making our institutions as effective and resilient as possible. Who can do this? You, the Parliamentarians, with the vital support of the parliamentary staff, who know this institution thoroughly; but also with the help of your peers, who are here today. " Apart from making opening remarks during the Opening Ceremony, I was the Resource Person for Session Two which dealt with Separation of Powers: The relationship between the Legislature and the Executive; and the Legislature and the Judiciary. I was also the Resource Person for Session Four on Ethics and Accountability of Members of the legislature. During Session Two, which was chaired by the Honourable Dennis lister, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Bermuda, I elaborated on how Parliament works, the branches of Government, the legislature and the Judiciary, the Legislature and the Executive, real or perceived interferences, and challenges to the supremacy of Parliament. Session Four, which dealt with Ethics and Accountability of Members of the legislature, was chaired by the Honourable Joan Dillas-Wright, President of the Senate of Bermuda. During this Session, I dealt with the codes of conduct, ethics and accountability as applied to Parliamentarians, and how one has to build a culture of respect. During this Session Four, I referred to the recently enacted Law in Malta regarding the Parliamentary Committee on Public Standards and the respective law as well as the election of the first Commissioner of Public Standards in Malta. I explained the procedure with regard to complains and also concerning the role of the Committee on Public Standards. I mentioned the composition of this parliamentary committee, which include equal Members from both the Government and Opposition sides, and that it is chaired by the Speaker. Apart from these two Sessions, I also intervened in Session One, which was entitled "The Development of the Commonwealth and the Role of the CPA". In view of my position as Chairperson of the Small Branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, I highlighted the important areas that were addressed during my 3-year tenure, which will come to a close in the next General Assembly of the CPA this coming September in Kampala, Uganda. This Session One was chaired by the Honourable Dennis Lister, Speaker of the House of Assembly of Bermuda, and had, as Resource Persons, Mr Akbar Khan, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, and Honourable Shirley Osborne, Speaker of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly. I would like to add that I also had to answer a good number of questions, which were addressed to me from the floor. This Seminar was given a good coverage in the local press, while the Department of Communications of the Government of Bermuda issued a press release, which included the list of international attendees in which my name also featured, both in my capacity as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Parliament of Malta, and as Chairperson of the Small Branches of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Hon. Speaker COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY C P~ ASSOCIATION CPA Parliamentary Strengthening Seminar for the Parliament of Bermuda 1-2 May 2019 Opening Remarks Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Small Branches Chairperson and Speaker of the Parliament of Malta Hon. Or Angelo Farrugia MP • His Excellency the Governor of Sermuda, Mr John Rankin CMG; • The Hon. E. David Burt, JP, MP, Premier of Bermuda; • The Hon. Dennis P. Lister, JP, MP, Speaker of the House of Assembly and Joint President of CPA Bermuda Branch; • Hon. Mrs. Joan E. Dill as-Wright, MSE, JP, President of the Senate and Joint President of the CPA Bermuda Branch; • The Attorney-General and Minister of Legal Affairs Senator the Hon. Kathy Lynn Simmons, JP • The Hon. Craig Cannonier, JP, MP, Leader of ·the Opposition; • Honourable Ministers and Members of Parliament; • Mr Akbar Khan, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Distinguished Members of the CPA Resource Team: • Hon. Shirley Osborne, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Montserrat; • Mr Paul Belisle, former Clerk of the Canadian Senate and Clerk of the Parlfaments In the Canadian federal Parliament; • Mrs Jacqul Sampson-Melguel, Clerk of the House, the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago; • Ladles and Gentlemen; • As the Chairperson of the CPA Small Branches, I am particularly excited to be here In Bermuda, whose Parliament is 395 years old, the oldest in the Commonwealth outside the British Isles. • But not only that- Bermuda can also pride itself to have had one of the world's highest GDP per capita for most of the 20111 century. • This is particularly interesting for the Small Branches Network, which is currently looking into hosting a workshop on economic development to share ideas for sustainable growth amongst the 43 Small Branches Member States ofthe CPA. • Once the event comes to fruition, we would certainly look towards Bermuda to guide us in this respect and contribute its experience. • For those of you who are not aware, the CPA is particularly devoted to its 43 Branches which have populations under 500,000 people, its Small Branches. • The CPA believes that the Parliaments of Small Branches have different needs to larger Parliaments and therefore focusses separately on strengthening their institutions, develop them and encourage cooperation across borders. • To that end, the CPA has held a yearly conference since 1981, aimed specifically at Small Branches. The Conference is held in conjunction with the main CPA Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference . • A bit about the background of my position: In 2014, the CPA Executive Committee ushered into a new and exciting phase of the development of the CPA Smail Branches Network, proposing the establishment of the Small Branches Chairperson position which was subsequently agreed by the General Assembly.