Dominica participates in Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Forum

Minister for Justice, Immigration and National Security, Honourable Rayburn Blackmoore and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Honourable Alix Boyd-Knight were among delegates at the Regional Hot Topic Forum of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association for the Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic Region in London on December 15, 2016.

Honourable Blackmoore was part of a panel discussion on the topic, “Seeking to increase Women’s Political Participation”.

Other Speakers on this Regional Hot Topic discussion were:

-Dr. Josephine Ojiambo, Deputy Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Secretariat
-Professor Verene Shepherd, Director of the Institute for Gender & Development Studies and Professor of Social History at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus
-Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Leader of the Opposition, Trinidad and Tobago

The discussion was moderated by Honourable Alix Boyd-Knights, Speaker of the House of Assembly in Dominica.

In his discourse, Honourable Blackmoore highlighted the contribution of formidable Caribbean women who blazed the trail for increasing women’s political participation.

Among them was Dame Mary Eugenia Charles, Former Prime Minister of Dominica and first female Prime Minister of our region.

Honourable Blackmore felt honoured to have been part of this distinguished group of Parliamentarians and to present on a topic of such relevance to the region.

His selection was based on his endeavour in championing the cause of women with his most recent effort in ensuring the passage of amendments to the Sexual Offenses Act in Parliament which seeks to provide further protection for Dominican women and children.