Health Minister Cassani Laville addressed new lawmakers at the parliamentary orientation meeting organized by the Dominica branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA). Laville represented PM Roosevelt Skerrit to charge old and newly elected members of parliament on parliamentary protocols, responsibilities, standing orders, and other duties related to public representation.
Divided into four parts – the first part of the workshop covered the composition of parliament and its role in national governance. Part Two of the lecture examined the standing orders, responsibilities, and privileges of parliamentarians in the House of Assembly. Parts Three and Four covered the techniques for presenting debates; with attendees being allowed to engage in a mock parliamentary session.
Given that the first session of parliament comes up on February 7 while a post-election seminar is scheduled for March, Speaker of the House of Assembly Joseph Isaac charged attendees at the orientation programme to ask questions and have the best interests of their constituents at heart when attending parliamentary sessions.
I hope that members will take full advantage of this opportunity by participating effectively, asking questions, and giving suggestions. The legislature is the representative body of the people and therefore we should always be prepared, so that when we come to debate or represent we will put our best foot forward on behalf of the people.
Joseph Isaac, Speaker of the House of Assembly
Laville urged newly-elected parliamentarians to familiarize themselves with the Constitution of Dominica, understand the relevant provisions of the law, comprehend the protocols of the House of Assembly, and avail themselves of the standing orders as well as representations of their various constituencies. He said everyone must work together to overcome the political challenges facing the government by putting up constructive debates.
We must approach these challenges with innovations. We must embrace new thinking, we must adopt a new posture, and hence the reason why the honourable prime minister has announced a reset; and it is a reset that we must take seriously. We must embody that…we must espouse it in our thoughts, in our thinking, in our attitude, in our dispensation.
Hon. Cassani Laville, Minister of Health
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