Minister Johnson Smith Emphasises Role of Parliaments in Strengthening Regional Cooperation

Parliaments across the Caribbean have an important role to play in strengthening regional cooperation by helping to bridge international and regional policies with the everyday concerns of the people.

This was the affirmation of Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Hon. Kamina Johnson Smith, during the 48th Regional Conference of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Caribbean, Americas and Atlantic (CAA) Region, held at the Moon Palace Jamaica Hotel in St. Ann on Tuesday (September 1).

Senator Johnson Smith said that while the management of foreign relations rests primarily with the Executive and foreign ministries, parliamentarians have an important role to play in complementing and strengthening those efforts.

She noted that parliaments already play a significant role by debating and voting on legislation and resolutions arising from international obligations, including measures related to sanctions and efforts to strengthen financial systems.

“Parliamentarians can move motions on a range of matters and have the opportunity to make useful interventions when international matters are on the floor,” she said.

The Foreign Affairs Minister stated that stronger engagement among parliamentarians across the region could help foster relationships that advance cooperation and support efforts to resolve complex intergovernmental issues.

She indicated that greater utilisation of parliamentary networks could support regional priorities, including the movement of skills and services, trade and investment, environmental protection, climate adaptation, citizen security, and food security.

Additionally, Minister Johnson Smith pointed out that issues discussed at the regional and international levels often have direct consequences for citizens and communities and should, therefore, be of concern to parliamentarians, noting that “the gap is not always too wide to be closed”.

She encouraged parliamentarians to engage more closely with constituents and stakeholders on international issues that affect their daily lives, including support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), access to export training and financing, the facilitation of regional trade, skills development, sustainable agriculture, and the protection of fish stocks in coastal communities.

Senator Johnson Smith also highlighted CARICOM as the principal framework through which 14 Commonwealth Caribbean countries advance regional cooperation in areas such as economic integration, human and social development, security, and foreign policy coordination.

She said parliamentary engagement through Commonwealth networks can help build broader partnerships, strengthen advocacy efforts, and provide access to technical expertise, while emphasising that “parliaments are essential elements of democratic governance”.

Senator Johnson Smith added that, through their representative role, parliaments can help ensure that regional and international cooperation translates into tangible benefits for citizens and communities across the Caribbean.

For his part, President of the Senate, Hon. Thomas Tavares-Finson, stated that parliaments and parliamentarians play a vital, though often under-recognised, role in advancing regional cooperation, preventing conflict, and promoting diplomacy, particularly within the Caribbean.

He noted that, beyond their lawmaking responsibilities, parliaments and parliamentarians serve as bridge-builders, using parliamentary forums, friendship groups, regional conferences and informal relationships to foster dialogue, navigate differences and strengthen trust across borders, even when governments disagree.

“We can create opportunities for dialogue where there may, otherwise, be limited communication [and] promote peaceful approaches to disagreement,” Senator Tavares-Finson explained.

He also said parliamentary diplomacy, now strengthened by digital technology, complements traditional foreign affairs by providing alternative channels of communication so that tensions can be identified early, misunderstandings reduced and conflicts prevented.

The conference runs from August 31 to September 5 under the theme ‘Strengthening Parliament in the Digital Age’.