Deputy Speaker to attend C’wealth Parliamentary Association midyear Executive Meeting in London

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) mid-year meeting of the Executive Committee will be held at the Atlee Suite, Portcullis House of Commons, London, United Kingdom, from 27-30 April.

The Association was founded in 1911 as the Empire Parliamentary Association and in 1948 CPA adopted its present name and changed its rules. Sri Lanka is a member of the Association since 1948. The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) is comprised of 180 Parliaments and Legislatures (including State, Provincial and Territorial Legislatures of 53 Commonwealth countries) having 17,000 members. All member branches can participate in the Association’s management and at present its affairs are administered by the United Kingdom Branch.

The Association’s main objective is to strengthen good parliamentary governance by enabling Commonwealth Parliamentarians to reach beyond their own Houses to contribute in a global setting to the development of the best parliamentary practices and the most effective policies.

Present Regional Representatives of the CPA Asia Region are: Sri Lanka, Punjab, Pakistan &Bangladesh. Each Regional representative serves for a term of three years. CPA Sri Lanka Branch serves its term till the 62nd General Assembly to be held in Dhaka Bangladesh from 1st to 10th September 2016. 

CPA Sri Lanka is an active member and has contributed towards the Association’s worthy endeavor by hosting several major CPA events (The annual conferences of 1974, 1995,2012 and other region conference.) The CPA has provided invaluable opportunities for Parliamentarians and Parliament staff of Sri Lanka to enhance their knowledge of parliament practice, procedure and administration.

Sri Lanka will be represented by Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala accompanied by the Secretary General of Sri Lanka Parliament Dhammika Dassanayaka at this session and the Performance and Review subcommittee, Planning and Review subcommittee and Finance Subcommittee meetings will be held at the Houses of Parliament, United Kingdom.