26/05/2026
Anguilla Delegation Heads to Cayman Islands for the 2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference
The Valley, Anguilla – A three-member delegation from the Anguilla House of Assembly has travelled to Grand Cayman this week to participate in the 2026 Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC), taking place from Tuesday 26 May to Saturday 31 May 2026. The conference, hosted by the Parliament of the Cayman Islands at Hotel Indigo, George Town, brings together Speakers, Clerks and parliamentary officials from across the British Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom to address pressing issues facing legislatures in the modern era.
The Anguilla delegation comprises Hon. Tara K. Carter, Speaker of the House of Assembly; Ms Vanisha Proctor, Clerk of Committees; and Ms Ronequa Hodge, Executive Secretary of the House of Assembly.
Speaker Carter has been invited to deliver the keynote address for Session Three of the conference, entitled “Managing Our Own House: Governance Reform and the Evolving Role of Parliamentary Commissions within the OTs.” The session will examine how legislatures structure their internal governance, ensure independence from the executive, and modernise their management systems. Speakers and Clerks from across the Overseas Territories will compare approaches to parliamentary commissions, self-governance and institutional reform.
During the conference, the Anguilla delegation will hold bilateral meetings with Speakers and officials from several territories, including Bermuda, Turks and Caicos Islands and Gibraltar, who have expressed keen interest in Anguilla’s pioneering AI-driven Hansard system. Launched in partnership with local technology company Evoluut AI, the system uses artificial intelligence to convert audio recordings of Assembly proceedings into fully formatted, searchable Hansard-style transcripts in real time. The platform has positioned Anguilla as a leader in parliamentary innovation among the Overseas Territories and across the wider Commonwealth.
AI and technology in parliaments will also be a major theme of the conference itself, with a dedicated session on “AI and the Future of Parliaments: Opportunities, Risks, and Institutional Readiness” scheduled for Wednesday 27 May. Speaker Carter, who has been a vocal advocate for the responsible adoption of AI in parliamentary operations, previously led the discussion on AI at the 2025 conference in the UK and has presented on Anguilla’s Hansard AI system at the CPA UK Post-Election Seminar in Bermuda earlier this year.
This year’s conference marks the first time that both Ms Ronequa Hodge and Ms Vanisha Proctor will participate in the COTSC, reflecting the House of Assembly’s commitment to investing in the professional development of its parliamentary staff.
Ms Ronequa Hodge, Executive Secretary, has been included in this year’s delegation as part of a deliberate initiative to strengthen the House of Assembly’s institutional capacity as it moves towards greater independence from the executive arm of government. As the officer responsible for the Assembly’s financial management, Ms Hodge’s participation through an attachment to the Parliament of the Cayman Islands for the week will provide her with critical exposure to best practices in parliamentary financial governance across the Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom. The experience will equip her with the knowledge and professional networks needed to lead the charge as the House of Assembly establishes its own independent financial systems and administration.
Ms Vanisha Proctor, Clerk of Committees, brings over 12 years of service within the Assembly and is the first person to hold the position of Clerk of Committees in Anguilla. A recipient of the prestigious Chevening Award, Ms Proctor has been instrumental in strengthening the committee system within the House of Assembly. Her participation at this year’s Speakers’ Conference will provide valuable opportunities to engage with parliamentary colleagues from across the Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom on matters of committee governance, parliamentary scrutiny and institutional development.
The Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference is a forum that brings together the Speakers, Clerks and parliamentary officials of the UK House of Commons and the legislatures of the British Overseas Territories. The 2026 conference, hosted by Deputy Speaker Nusrat Ghani (Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, UK) and Speaker Ezzard Miller of the Cayman Islands Parliament, will feature sessions on AI in parliaments, governance reform, supporting effective opposition, constitutional reform, the Speaker’s role as guardian of democracy, and legislative continuity during emergencies. Delegations from Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom will be in attendance.
The conference programme also includes a formal Opening Ceremony at the Cayman Islands House of Parliament on Wednesday 27 May, bilateral meetings among the Speakers, and a Cultural Evening hosted by the Premier and Minister of Culture of the Cayman Islands at the historic Pedro St James.
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