Persad-Bissessar is Commonwealth’s first female Chairperson-in-Office

The Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar MP is the new Commonwealth Chairperson-in-Office, following her victory in the May elections in Trinidad & Tobago.

She takes over from former Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago Patrick Manning, who hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Port of Spain last November.

Ms Persad-Bissessar – the first female Chair-in-Office – will remain in this position until the next CHOGM, which is taking place in Perth, Australia in October 2011.

The position of Chairperson-in-Office was created at the 1999 CHOGM in South Africa. Heads of Government believed that the Chairperson of each CHOGM should be able to play a representational role, especially in other intergovernmental organisations, in the period between Heads of Government Meetings.

At the 2002 Coolum CHOGM, Heads further said that the Chairperson-in-Office could reinforce the ‘Good Offices’ role of the Secretary-General and contribute to strategic advocacy of Commonwealth positions in high-level international forums.

Secretariat Links:

• Country Profile: Trinidad & Tobago