Senator O’Donoghue and Deputy Clerk Constant Represent Antigua and Barbuda at Caribbean Parliamentary Modernization Workshop

Senator Angelica O’Donoghue and Deputy Clerk to Parliament Ms. Ondell Constant are representing Antigua and Barbuda at the Caribbean Regional Workshop: “Applying AI and Digital Solutions to Modernize Parliamentary Practice,” taking place September 12-13 at Florida International University in Miami, Florida.

The Antigua and Barbuda delegation is joining 30 other parliamentary representatives from across the Caribbean, including clerks, Hansard officials, information technology specialists, communications professionals and other parliamentary officers. The workshop is hosted by the House Democracy Partnership of the United States House of Representatives, in collaboration with ParlAmericas and the POPVOX Foundation.

ParlAmericas works with legislatures across the Americas and the Caribbean to strengthen democratic institutions, parliamentary diplomacy and regional cooperation, with particular emphasis on inclusive, transparent and effective parliamentary governance.

The two-day workshop will examine how Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies can strengthen legislative research, information management, institutional capacity, transparency and the overall efficiency of parliamentary operations.

A major focus will be the Digital Parliaments Project and ParlLink, an AI-powered platform developed to help parliaments digitize, manage and preserve legislative records. The platform can organize Bills, Hansards, minutes and other parliamentary documents, generate searchable information and allow authorized users to conduct AI-assisted research across parliamentary records.

Senator O’Donoghue said Antigua and Barbuda’s participation provides an important opportunity to examine how technological modernization can complement the country’s ongoing legislative development. “As both a communications professional and a Senator, I recognize the importance of ensuring that as we modernize our legislation, we are also modernizing the information infrastructure that supports our Parliament. Technology is changing the way institutions operate, communicate, preserve information and serve the public, and our Parliament cannot afford to be left behind. I am particularly interested in what we can take from this workshop and practically adapt to the realities and needs of Antigua and Barbuda.”

Deputy Clerk to Parliament Ondell Constant said the workshop also presents an opportunity to identify practical solutions that can strengthen the day-to-day administration of Parliament. “This workshop provides an important opportunity to learn how digital tools can help modernize parliamentary procedures, improve the management and accessibility of our legislative records, and make the work of Parliament more efficient. As technology continues to advance, our parliamentary systems and processes must also evolve to reflect the pace and expectations of the environment in which we now operate.”

Sessions throughout the weekend will include demonstrations of ParlLink, discussions on legislative digitization standards, responsible use of AI within parliamentary institutions, practical applications of commercially available AI tools, and a live exercise demonstrating how AI-enabled parliamentary tools can be developed.

The workshop will also examine the governance and security considerations surrounding institutional AI adoption, including data protection, responsible use and the need for appropriate safeguards when handling confidential or sensitive parliamentary information.

O’Donoghue and Constant intend to use the engagement to explore practical opportunities for Antigua and Barbuda to strengthen the digitization and preservation of parliamentary records, improve legislative research and information retrieval, enhance administrative efficiency, and examine frameworks for the safe and responsible adoption of AI within Parliament.

The regional workshop builds on ongoing efforts to modernize Caribbean legislatures and encourage greater collaboration and knowledge-sharing among parliamentary institutions across the region.