Parliamentarians from across the region gathered in Anguilla for the inaugural Caribbean AI Workshop on artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
The four-day event saw expert-led sessions, peer learning and practical exercises examine AI governance, cybersecurity, misinformation, data management and its use in parliamentary work.
From 21 to 24 June, delegates also discussed regional cooperation and the challenges facing small island states as they move to adopt emerging technologies.
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The Anguilla House of Assembly and the Ministry of Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing, Information Technology and E Government Services co-hosted the event.
It was delivered in partnership with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK and UNESCO, with the support of Canada-based parliamentary network ParlAmericas.
Participating jurisdictions included Anguilla, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Sint Maarten and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The workshop was formally opened with keynote remarks from Anguilla House of Assembly speaker Tara Carter.
“This workshop demonstrates that small jurisdictions can drive big innovations. We were honoured to welcome our regional and international partners to Anguilla,” she said in a press release on 26 June.
“We hope to establish this gathering as an annual event, creating a lasting platform for the Caribbean to shape, rather than simply respond to, the future of this transformative technology.”
Information technology minister José Vanterpool also addressed attendees, highlighting Anguilla’s collaborative approach to digital leadership.
On the sidelines of the conference, Carter held a bilateral meeting with Sarah Wescot Williams, speaker of the Parliament of Sint Maarten.
As an outcome of the engagement, the two parliaments expressed their intention to develop a memorandum of understanding to deepen cooperation.
The proposed agreement will focus on knowledge sharing, cross border parliamentary training and exchanges between their respective youth parliaments.
Anguilla is the home of the .ai domain and a leader in advancing the use of technology in parliamentary democracy, including its pioneering AI-powered Hansard system.
