Falklands : Sharon Halford to Attend CPA Conference
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 08.05.2010 (Article Archived on 22.05.2010)
The Hon Sharon Halford MLA is to attend the annual British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which is being held in the Isle of Man from 10 to 14 May 2010.
Hon Sharon Halford MLA to attend Commonwealth
Parliamentary Association Regional Conference
The Hon Sharon Halford MLA is to attend the annual British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, which is being held in the Isle of Man from 10 to 14 May 2010. This will be Mrs Halford’s second visit to the Isle of Man this year, following the recent overseas study trip by members of the Public Accounts Committee.
The theme of the CPA Regional Conference is ‘Technology and Democracy: Successes and Challenges’. Three aspects of this theme are to be addressed by expert speakers, through question and answer sessions, and by discussion amongst delegates in small working groups.
The first aspect addresses the possibilities for democracy created by new technologies including, in particular, recent developments in information technology. Mrs Halford commented that this should complement the Hon Dick Sawle MLA’s recent experiences at the Westminster Seminar in London on the use of technology by elected representatives.
The second aspect looks at the challenges faced by Governments wishing to exploit new technologies when running large-scale projects. This is an area where the scrutiny function of legislatures, and mechanisms such as the Public Accounts Committee, can have an important role to play.
The final aspect considers the challenges presented by information technologies in terms of protecting important rights and freedoms such as the right to privacy. This builds on the recent consciousness-raising in the Falkland Islands on Human Rights Awareness which was sponsored and organised by the Commonwealth Foundation as part of a project across the British Overseas Territories.
Mrs Halford commented, “Hopefully I will gain an insight into how we could better communicate with our constituents and also other bodies worldwide.”
Representation at the Regional Conference also enables Government to maintain and strengthen its existing links with other members of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association including Gibraltar, the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey. Mrs Halford is enjoying a short holiday before the Conference, and is due to return to the Falkland Islands on 20 May.
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