67th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference
38th CPA Small Branches Conference

CPA Small Branches Workshop C: Financial Scrutiny and Oversight

About the Workshop

CPA Small Branches Workshop C: Financial Scrutiny and Oversight

For legislatures to deliver on their mandate to exercise oversight and hold governments to account, it is vital that they have the capacity to exercise effective financial scrutiny, both ex ante (budget formalisation and estimates) and ex post (scrutinising the actual use of public funds).

 

This workshop will look to explore how those Parliaments within the Small Branches Network can overcome size and capacity limitations to deliver on their oversight responsibilities and ensure the appropriate use of public funds by the Executive. In addition to hearing best practices from across the Commonwealth, the workshop will also highlight the work of the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committees and (CAPAC) and the drafting of the CPA’s Handbook on Parliamentary Financial Oversight: Adapting PAC Best Practices to Legislatures in Small States.  

Panellists

CPA Small Branches Workshop C: Financial Scrutiny and Oversight
Hon. Churchill Gill MP, Member of the National Assembly of Seychelles

The Honorable Member, Mr. Churchill Gill was born on the 18th February 1965.

Hon. Gill completed his studies in several subjects pertaining to Business Economics, Business Law and Finance Management at the Seychelles Institute of Management in 1994.

He later went on to study Empowered Executive Management which he completed in 1997.

He worked in the hospitality industry and prior to joining the Berjaya Resort, he was employed with the Seychelles Hotels Limited from December 1984 heading the Finance Department until May 1994. 

He also worked with the Berjaya Praslin Beach Resort for 5 years heading the Finance Department.  He later went on to work as the General Manager for 21 years. Hon. Gill headed all the three resorts in Seychelles at one given time for three years.

In September 2016, he was elected as a Member of the 6th National Assembly for the District of Baie St Anne Praslin for the Parti Lepep Political Party.   

In 2020, Hon. Gill was re-elected as a member of the 7th Assembly for the District of Baie St Anne Praslin for the United Seychelles Political Party. He is a Member of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee, Bills Committee and the Defence and Security Committee.

Hon. Akierra Missick MP, Member of the Turks and Caicos House of Assembly

Hon. Akierra M. D. Missick, is the elected member for Leeward and Long Bay, Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands after successfully contesting that district seat for a third term in the 2021 General Elections and serves presently the Leader of Government Business in the House of Assembly and Minister of Physical Planning & Infrastructure Development.

Hon. Missick transitioned into frontline politics in 2012, after she successfully contested the electoral district of Leeward & Long Bay and served as the Deputy Premier and Minister of Education, Youth Affairs, Sport and Library Services during the period of 2012-2016. On taking up her Ministerial portfolio, she brought energy and enthusiasm to the work and delivered on numerous important national issues in Education and Youth inclusive of the construction for modern infrastructure and implementation of a “child centered” early childhood curriculum. Hon. Missick was guided by the mantra ‘leave no child behind’ and in so doing believes that children must be given the opportunity to succeed.

Hon. Missick was elected again in 2016 as the MP for Leeward & Long Bay. During this period in Opposition, she used her platform to educate the public at large during various debates in the House of Assembly relating to the legislation proposed by the Government. Hon Missick also accepted the call to serve as the Chair of the TCI Public Accounts Committee and took the opportunity to build robust skills on legislative scrutiny through various workshops and meetings on Public Financial Management. This provided her an opportunity to engage Parliamentary colleagues around the world, to study best practices and advance them not only in the Turks & Caicos Islands, but regionally through taking part in Post-Election Seminars hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association.

In 2021, Hon Missick was elected for a third time as the MP for Leeward and Long Bay and is presently appointed the Minister of Physical Planning & Infrastructure Development. In this new role, she is determined to change the physical landscape of these Islands to be more resilient, and environmentally protective with a focus on creating a sustainable housing program that will provide TC Islanders and opportunity to own a piece of the TCI Dream. Hon Missick is a Planeteer from the Captain Planet school of thought and is a firm believer that climate change will be the biggest challenge for this generation of TCI leaders.

Hon. Missick obtained her law degree from the University of Nottingham and is a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn. She is called to the Turks and Caicos Islands Bar and practiced as a Senior Litigation Attorney with focus on Civil Dispute Resolution for the last 15 years and is presently on sabbatical to serve in the TCI Cabinet. She’s a Christian and enjoy reading on a boat sailing around the Turks & Caicos Islands when spare time permits

Ms Joann Corkish, Deputy Clerk of Tynwald and Clerk of the Legislative Council, Isle of Man

Jo Corkish joined the Clerk of Tynwald’s Office in 2009 as Head of the Chamber and Information Service. Following a year seconded to the Isle of Man Government Cabinet Office, as Change and Reform Programme Lead, she returned to Tynwald in 2015 and took on the role of Third Clerk.

She has been Clerk to the Public Accounts Committee since 2016 and is also currently clerking committees on Poverty, Whistleblowing and an inquiry into the Media Development Fund.

For the CPA UK Overseas Territories project she has undertaken in country placements in both Montserrat and the Falkland Islands, and Tynwald has hosted visits from St Helena and the Falkland Islands.

In 2018, she completed the International Professional Development Program for Parliamentary Staff with McGill University, after being sponsored by the CPA and is currently studying for a law degree via distance learning. She previously worked in the private sector in finance, business analysis and project management roles.

Ms Isabelle Watkinson, Student and Researcher, McGill University

Isabelle Watkinson is a senior student at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management, pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Strategic Management and International Business. Since 2021, she has been working as a Research Assistant at McGill School of Continuing Studies (SCS)’s Parliamentary Programs.

Isabelle has contributed to various research projects under the direction of Rick Stapenhurst, including “Gender Equality Handbook for Parliamentarians” (published by McGill SCS and Parliamentary Centre in 2021) and “Parliamentary Oversight of (Pandemic-Induced) Explosion in Public Spending” (published by McGill SCS in 2021).

She is co-editing the book – Enhanced Parliamentary Oversight: Promoting Good Governance in Smaller States – a joint project by McGill SCS and the CPA expected to be published by Routledge in 2023.

 

Workshop Resources

CPA Small Branches Workshop C: Financial Scrutiny and Oversight

Workshop Recommendation

CPA Small Branches Workshop C: Financial Scrutiny and Oversight

As part of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference outcomes, each Small Branches workshop should put forward a recommendation which will be approved at the General Assembly. The following draft recommendation is proposed:

“Parliaments should have the necessary independence and resources, including any necessary training and capacity building opportunities, to undertake effective financial scrutiny and oversight.”

 

Workshop Feedback

CPA Small Branches Workshop C: Financial Scrutiny and Oversight

Submit your feedback form

We are keen to hear feedback on this workshop. Please take a moment to complete the below form at the conclusion of the session. We will be reviewing the CPC methodology in the coming year and your perspective will be invaluable.

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