Montserrat
Key Facts
Head of State: HM King Charles III
Head of Government: Premier Hon. Easton Taylor-Farrell MLA
Capital City (location of Parliament): Brades
Unicameral/Bicameral: Unicameral - Legislative Assembly (9 elected)
Further Information:
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CPA UK & Montserrat
CPA UK and the Montserrat Legislative Assembly have partnered over a number of years to support Montserrat’s democratic process.
Montserrat regularly engages in bilateral and multilateral activities delivered as part of the CPA UK-led UK Overseas Territories Project which focuses on good governance and oversight of public finances. As part of this project, CPA UK has partnered with the Legislative Assembly in supporting the strengthening of the PAC. A multilateral forum in March 2017 discussed the PAC’s priorities and challenges. This was followed by a PAC Workshop in Montserrat in November 2017. In spring 2018, a Clerk from the Northern Irish Assembly was attached to the Montserrat PAC and supported the PAC in strengthening its processes as it moved towards holding its first public evidence session.
Recent Programmes
Trade Workshop for Overseas Territories, Crown Dependencies, and Devolved Legislatures, Westminster, 7-9 February 2023
CPA UK organised a three-day workshop, aiming to enhance effective scrutiny and oversight of international trade agreements, focusing on the following themes: knowledge building on trade; the role of parliamentarians in trade; and scrutiny in practice.
To read the Trade Workshop Final Report, click here.
Caribbean Clerks Programme, Parliament of Barbados, Bridgetown, 26-27 January 2023
CPA UK delivered the third Caribbean Clerks Programme, in partnership with the Parliament of Barbados and ParlAmericas. The sessions ran across two days and was hosted in the Senate Chamber of the Parliament of Barbados. The approach of the programme was one of peer-to-peer learning, with attendees sharing their knowledge and expertise. The sessions covered a number of topics including: the role of a clerk; working effectively with members; and operating with resource constraints.
Public Accounts Committee Workshop, Westminster, 5-7 December 2022
The three-day Workshop was designed to allow delegates to collaborate with colleagues across different regions, discussing responses to shared challenges faced by Pubic Accounts Committees. It provided an opportunity for clerks and officials to share experiences, examine existing practices and find new approaches to the financial scrutiny work of PACs.
Fifth Overseas Territories Forum on Oversight of Public Finances and Good Governance, Westminster, 29 November - 1 December 2022
Parliamentarians, clerks, electoral officials, and external and internal auditors from across the UK Overseas Territories travelled to Westminster to attend the fifth Overseas Territories Forum. The Forum was delivered by CPA UK, in collaboration with the National Audit Office, and the Government Internal Audit Agency. Over the three days, the Forum offered the opportunity for delegates to discuss and share knowledge through panel discussions, presentations, workshops, and meetings.
To read the Fifth Overseas Territories Forum Report, click here.
Westminster Seminar, Westminster, 14-18 March 2022
The 70th edition of CPA UK's flagship programme for newly-elected parliamentarians and clerks, providing a unique platform for participants to network and engage with counterparts; exploring approaches to parliamentary democracy, practice and procedure in the context of parliamentary systems from across the Commonwealth, drawing comparisons between different legislatures.
Fourth Overseas Territories Forum on Oversight of Public Finances & Good Governance, Virtual, 30 November - 2 December 2021
Key actors from the UK and the Overseas Territories met virtually from 30 November to 2 December for the Oversight of Public Finance and Good Governance Forum 2021. This was the fourth programme of its kind, designed to bring together key stakeholders from across the Overseas Territories, including Speakers, Members, and Clerks from Legislatures, as well as Internal and External Auditors and Electoral Officials, to explore issues relating to good governance and oversight of public finances.
Legislative Assembly Members Communications Training, Virtual, 8 November 2021
The training, which took place virtually on 8 November, aimed to support elected representatives in Montserrat in communication skills for parliamentary purposes. The training session covered a range of topics, including etiquette and conduct in the chamber, debating and questioning, and effective communication in a committee context.
PAC Inquiry Workshop, Virtual, 11-22 October 2021
CPA UK hosted two, five-day virtual training workshops for Commonwealth Public Accounts Committees, giving delegates an opportunity to explore each stage of an inquiry process from evidence gathering and effective questioning techniques to reports, recommendations, and media engagement.
Clerk Leadership Group, Virtual, April 2021 to present
The Clerk Leadership Group was launched in April 2021 and is a network designed to provide a forum for clerks from across the Overseas Territories to share their knowledge, expertise, and best practices on parliamentary clerk services with one another. The Clerk Leadership Groups meets at least once a quarter.
Featured Past Programmes
Post-Election Seminar, Montserrat, 17-20 February 2020
A CPA UK delegation delivered a post-election seminar in Montserrat in collaboration with the Montserrat Legislative Assembly, designed to build on the skills and knowledge of re-elected and new parliamentarians.
Clerk Attachment to the Public Accounts Committee of the Legislative Assembly, Montserrat, 9-20 April 2018
CPA UK facilitated a Clerk attachment to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Montserrat's Legislative Assembly as part of Montserrat's programme of activities delivered by the UK Overseas Territories (UKOT) Project. It supported the PAC in strengthening its processes and preparing for its first PAC public evidence session.
Public Accounts Committee Workshop, Montserrat, 8-10 November 2017
A three-day PAC workshop helped expose Members of the Legislative Assembly, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Department, and staff, to the topics discussed and improved awareness of the importance of bipartisanship in public financial management and scrutiny structures.
The workshop increased understanding around the role and functions of the PAC, increased awareness in the community of the PAC, and helped the PAC identify a number of future actions they wanted to take.
