Four of Guernsey’s deputies and the Deputy States Greffier, and a Sark Conseiller are recently back from a trip to Gibraltar where they attended a meeting of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

Having asked them why they went and what they got out of it, the overwhelming response from those who attended representing our Bailiwick is that it was a positive experience, allowing them to gain knowledge and share information with representatives from jurisdictions which may be similarly sized or share other characteristics and challenges with our own.

What is the CPA?

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association links more than 180 parliaments across the Commonwealth, aiming to empower them through a network of shared experiences.

The 55th CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference was held earlier this month, with the theme ‘Modern Legislatures for Modern Challenges’.

Pictured: There’s a lot of information about the work of the CPA on its website.

For the June 2026 conference Gibraltar was the host meaning delegates travelled to the British Overseas Territory for their meetings.

10 member jurisdictions were represented – among them were Guernsey and Sark, with Sark attending for the first time.

Why go?

The States Greffier, Simon Ross, told Express it is important for Guernsey to be represented at the CPA meetings because it contributes to the island’s standing in the world.

“While in Gibraltar, Members participated in plenaries that discussed future ready economies in small jurisdictions, developments in digital parliaments, and voter and youth engagement in democracy,” explained Mr Ross.

“Two of Guernsey’s delegation held positions that provided updates on key global developments at the region’s annual general meeting which occurred at the conference.”

Deputies Adrian Gabriel, Garry Collins, Gavin St Pier, and Jayne Ozanne attended to represent Guernsey, accompanied by Deputy States’ Greffier Elliot Gallienne as delegation secretary.

Conseiller Natalie Tighe attended for Sark.

Who paid?

Mr Ross explained that accommodation costs are covered by the host branch – which this year was the Gibraltar Parliament.

As the CPA is a membership association, the States of Guernsey funds the island’s branch, meaning the cost of getting to Gibraltar was covered for the Sarnian delegates.

The cost of flights for the four deputies who attended the conference was £1880.50.

As Sark has only recently become a member of the CPA, it does not yet have an established funding arrangement.

Sark delegate, Conseiller Tighe told Express that she covered the cost of her trip personally.

Feedback

Deputy Ozanne said she “personally found it a very worthwhile and fruitful trip”.

She was “very pleased to be able to present a report in the AGM on the new LGBT+ Network which our region of  the CPA has set up, and was a speaker in another session, which led to some excellent conversations and connections”.

Deputy Collins posted on X that it was “an honour” to attend on behalf of Guernsey.

Deputy Gabriel gave a detailed reply explaining that Guernsey’s attendance at the recent conference “offered a range of strategic, parliamentary, and constitutional benefits”.

“Participation ensures that Guernsey remains actively involved in shaping regional priorities and decisions that are taken through the BIM Region’s annual meetings and conference processes, it strengthens Guernsey’s voice in regional parliamentary affairs,” he explained.

Where recent conferences have focused on issues “highly relevant to small jurisdictions”, including digital transformation and AI, parliamentary governance and procedure, inclusion, well-being, and youth engagement, Deputy Gabriel said the discussions “can help improve the effectiveness and resilience of Guernsey’s parliamentary institutions”.

He also shared that at the AGM earlier this month “a constitutional matter was raised, debated and agreed upon in relation to Small Branches”. 

“The conference provides direct access to UK MP’s, other parliamentarians, presiding officers, committee chairs, and parliamentary officials from across the region,” he explained.

“These relationships can and do support future inter-parliamentary cooperation, facilitate knowledge exchange, create opportunities for joint initiatives and strengthen Guernsey’s profile within the Commonwealth parliamentary network.

“As a Crown Dependency, Guernsey increasingly engages internationally on matters such as constitutional autonomy, economic development, sustainability, and democratic governance. The conference provided a platform to understand Gibraltar’s approach and challenges to the UK/EU reset through the respected Commonwealth forum through which Guernsey can demonstrate leadership, contribute expertise, and raise issues affecting small jurisdictions.”

For the individuals that attended, Deputy Gabriel said it gave an opportunity to develop leadership skills, contribute to panel discussions and workshops while serving on CPA networks and committees, and gain experience in Commonwealth parliamentary diplomacy.

Attendance also enables Guernsey to benchmark its parliamentary practices against other places and identify where scrutiny, transparency, and public engagement can be enhanced.

Sark’s position

For Conseiller Tighe, attending as Sark’s first ever delegate, she found the experience “valuable” and “very helpful”.

Sark only joined CPA last year, meaning each of the three main islands of our Bailiwick now operates its own branch.

Conseiller Tighe said this reflects their distinct parliamentary structures.

Attending the recent conference was a “valuable part of developing (Sark’s) engagement with the organisation,” she explained.

“Through the CPA, there is an extensive support network and the opportunity to connect with parliamentarians from a wide range of jurisdictions.  Many are facing similar challenges, particularly in smaller, rural or island communities, and the ability to share experiences and learn from approaches that have already been experienced elsewhere is very helpful.  It allows us to draw on established good practice rather than always needing to develop solutions in isolation.

“In terms of whether it was worthwhile, absolutely yes; while the benefits are not always immediately quantifiable, the relationships built and knowledge shared contribute to stronger governance and informed decision-making over time.”