HOA Speaker delivers keynote address at UK forum

House of Assembly Speaker Corine George-Massicote delivered the keynote address at the Fourth Commons and Overseas Territories Speakers’ Conference (COTSC) held in London, United Kingdom.

The forum, hosted by the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, brought together Speakers and Clerks from several British Overseas Territories, including Anguilla, Bermuda, Gibraltar, Montserrat, and the Falkland Islands.

George-Massicote’s keynote was delivered during a session titled “Keeping Democracy Running,” where she spoke on managing security threats to parliaments.

She outlined 10 key measures for maintaining security in parliamentary operations, including establishing governance frameworks, strengthening physical and online defences, and fostering a strong internal security culture.

She stressed the need to “understand the specific threats facing your institution” and “regularly review and update your security framework.”

The Speaker also emphasised that parliaments worldwide face shared risks despite differences in size and context. “Parliaments worldwide face common physical and virtual threats that can affect their stability, productivity, reputation, and prosperity,” she asserted.