DELIVERING A COMMON FUTURE: CONNECTING, INNOVATING, TRANSFORMING
DELIVERING A COMMON FUTURE: CONNECTING, INNOVATING, TRANSFORMING The Commonwealth Secretary-General marks the 100th anniversary of this journal and looks ahead to the CHOGM 2020 in Rwanda.
Rt Hon. Patricia Scotland, QC,
who took office as Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in April 2016, serves the 54 governments and 2.4 billion people of the Commonwealth. Born in Dominica, she moved to the UK at an early age. A lawyer by profession, she became the first black and youngest woman ever to be appointed Queen’s Counsel. She is the only woman since the post was created in 1315 to be Attorney-General for England and Wales, and also for Northern Ireland. Appointed to the House of Lords as Baroness Scotland of Asthal in 1997, she has been Alderman for Bishopsgate Ward in the City of London since 2015.
In serving the nations of the Commonwealth, and carrying forward the responsibilities entrusted to me by their Heads of Government, I have the pleasant if at times demanding duty of visiting member countries and meeting people active in many areas of national and community life, and of engaging with the institutions that serve them. In doing so, I see at first hand and close-up the truly remarkable depths of connection and the closeness of goodwill, trust and mutual support that flourish among the 2.4 billion citizens of the Commonwealth, and those who represent and serve them at whatever level and in whatever capacity. With such depth of connection comes fruitful cooperation: nations growing together and encouraging one another towards higher attainment, with firmer fulfilment and closer adherence to the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter. This edition of The Parliamentarian, marking the 100th anniversary of the first publication of the Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments, reminds us of the long record of cooperation and sense
26 | The Parliamentarian | 2020: Issue One | 100th anniversary issue 1920-2020
of collegiality among the Parliaments and Legislatures of our member countries. Valuable bilateral exchanges and international meetings of those elected or appointed to represent our citizens, and of officials who serve Parliaments and Legislative Assemblies, are augmented by journals, periodicals and other publications which help to disseminate news of progress and innovation. They also facilitate continuing professional development and expansion of knowledge, enhancement of procedures and practice, and improvements in accountability and transparency so that our democratic institutions and the machinery of government answer to the needs and expectations of electorates. Such concerns align closely with Commonwealth priorities for continually raising levels of performance and responsiveness. Under the heading ‘Democracy’, Article I of the Commonwealth Charter reads: ‘We recognise the inalienable right of individuals to participate in democratic processes, in particular through free and fair elections in shaping the society in which they live.
Governments, political parties and civil society are responsible for upholding and promoting democratic culture and practices and are accountable to the public in this regard. Parliaments and representative local governments and other forms of local governance are essential elements in the exercise of democratic governance.’
“As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the first publication in 1920 of the Journal of Commonwealth Parliaments, and the continuing contribution of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to the life and vitality of our global family of nations, we can take pride in all that has be achieved.”
