New CPA Small Branches chair urges cooperation

Sep 24, 2019

Following her successful election in Kampala on Tuesday, Cook Islands Speaker of Parliament Niki Rattle replaces her Maltese counterpart Angelo Farrugia.

64TH COMMONWEALTH PARLIAMENTARY CONFERENCE

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KAMPALA - The newly-elected CPA Small Branches chairperson has voiced the need for small legislatures within the Commonwealth to come together to address common difficulties and strengths, as well as share their experiences.

Niki Rattle was elected as chairperson on Tuesday during the ongoing 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Uganda's capital Kampala.

Rattle is the Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook Islands, a nation in the South Pacific.

She pledged that the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) would strengthen and renew its focus on helping Small Branches and their parliaments and legislatures.

Rattle was picked by members during the 37th CPA Small Branches Conference in Munyonyo.

She has replaced Angelo Farrugia, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of Malta, who occupied the office for three years.

Rattle's new role is an officer role within the CPA's governance structure. Rattle will sit on the CPA International Executive Committee to bring a voice for Small Branches to the governing body of the CPA.

In her acceptance speech, she talked of co-operation and also thanked members for entrusting her with the new position.

 hhjh CPA chairperson Emilia Lifaka (pictured left) congratulated Nikki Rattle

 
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Who is Niki Rattle?

Rattle was appointed as the Cook Islands' Speaker and CPA Cook Islands Branch President in 2012.

She was reappointed in 2014 and 2018.

She is an active Parliamentarian and former CPA Executive Committee Representative for the CPA Pacific Region.

A registered nurse, Rattle was the first Pacific Chairperson of the International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent and she is highly regarded internationally for her skills of conciliation, strategic leadership, and advocacy.

She was an eminent member of the International Federation Election Committee, and she is known for her contribution to rules of procedures and ethics.

Confronted with complex procedural issues, Rattle pushed for enhanced legislative and financial scrutiny and development of the Parliament.

She is an advocate for economic, social, and political empowerment in Small Island and Developing States (SIDS) and is committed to fostering strong, connected Legislatures.

She is passionate about community, prevention of violence, women's leadership, health, and disaster-risk reduction.

 hjhj Nikki Rattle, Angelo Farrugia and Emilia Lifaka. (Credit: CPA Secretariat) 

 
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Rattle's predecessor Angelo Farrugia has worked tirelessly in promoting the CPA Small Branches within the wider CPA network and establishing a CPA Small Branches strategic plan which has given increased focus to the work of the CPA in areas such as climate change, which severely impacts on the smallest jurisdictions in the Commonwealth.

MP Farrugia and the CPA chairperson MP Emilia Lifaka (Deputy Speaker of Cameroon) both congratulated Rattle on her election.

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 CPA secretary-general Akbar Khan:

I congratulate Hon. Angelo Farrugia, MP, outgoing CPA Small Branches Chairperson for the important achievements he has made during his term in office as the first CPA Small Branches Chairperson. On behalf of the entire CPA membership, we are incredibly grateful to him for his leadership over the past three years. I very much look forward to working with Hon. Niki Rattle, the new CPA Small Branches Chairperson during the next three years and wish her all the very best in this important role.

Meanwhile, under CPA election rules only delegates from CPA Small Branches to the 64th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference could take part in the vote to elect a new CPA Small Branches chairperson.

There were two candidates for the position of CPA Small Branches Chairperson: Niki Rattle and Juan Watterson, the Speaker of the House of Keys at the Parliament of the Isle of Man (Tynwald).

Of the over 180 branches of the CPA, 43 branches are classified as ‘Small Branches', which are defined as jurisdictions having a population of below 500,000 people.

The CPA headquarters secretariat works closely with Small Branches in all regions of the CPA to identify their unique needs and requirements in parliamentary strengthening, development and co-operation.


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