The Speaker of the House of Keys, the Hon Juan Watterson SHK, has attended the 28^th Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth (CSPOC) in New Delhi, which took place from 14 to 16 January 2026.

Pictured right: Mr Speaker with the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi

Mr Speaker, who was supported by Tynwald’s Head of Corporate and Engagement Services Ruth Donnelly, was among 61 Speakers and Presiding Officers from more than 45 Commonwealth parliaments who attended the conference, which was hosted by the Parliament of India.

Addressing delegates, the chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Hon Christopher Kalila MP of the National Assembly of Zambia said: ‘The 28th CSPOC Conference brings together those entrusted with the stewardship of our parliaments from across the Commonwealth. Speakers and Presiding Officers play a vital role in upholding constitutional order, safeguarding parliamentary independence and ensuring that our institutions remain effective, inclusive and respected by the citizens we serve. At a time of rapid political, social and technological change, that responsibility has never been greater.’

The conference focused on the topics of the use of artificial intelligence and social media in parliamentary functioning; promoting innovation and citizen participation in parliaments; and the security, health and wellbeing of Members of Parliament and parliamentary staff.

During the conference Mr Speaker (pictured left) chaired a session on ‘Social media and its Impact on Parliamentarians’ in the historic Rajya Sabha chamber.

The session discussed legislative developments around the Commonwealth, particularly Australia where a social media ban for under 16s has been put in place. The topic included the impact on parliamentary communication and improving citizen engagement, whilst dealing with misinformation and the need for ethical standards for Members in engaging in public fora, improved digital literacy for parliamentarians, and the dangers of online abuse.

Mr Speaker also met with Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Secretary-General Stephen Twigg, whom he looks forward to welcoming to the Island in March. In his role as Chair of the Commonwealth Association of Public Accounts Committee he also discussed the role of CPA Secretariat in providing support to Public Accounts Committees around the Commonwealth.

Mr Speaker also took the advantage of the conference to discuss developing parliamentary trends with Rt Hon Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, and used the opportunity to thank him for his support in enabling Manx students to participate in the UK Youth Parliament and to access visits to the Palace of Westminster.

Reflecting on the conference Mr Speaker said: ‘This biennial conference provides a rare opportunity for Commonwealth Speakers to learn from each other on developments that are happening in their own jurisdictions, and to develop a network to assist each other in parliamentary practice. The conference enables discussions at the strategic and tactical level across any number of topics that Speakers are engaged in. It is also an opportunity to educate people about the Isle of Man’s unique constitutional status, and demonstrate how the role of Speaker in the Isle of Man is one of the most diverse in the Commonwealth – a product of our small size and tricameral approach.’

Many of the jurisdictions present at the conference were not members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which is only open to sovereign states. However, Mr Speaker had a constructive dialogue with the IPU President on behalf of a number of small CPA branches about sharing of resources, particularly around artificial intelligence.

Mr Speaker was commended for his role in the conference, with Hon Dr Jagath Wickramaratne Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka commenting: ‘Your leadership of the panel demonstrated a perfect blend of substantive knowledge, strategic acumen, and emotional intelligence. It is a testament to your capacities not just as a Speaker and as a chair, but as a leader who understands that at the heart of all parliamentary democracy is a human connection and reasoned discourse.’

Hon Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, Speaker of the National Assembly of Mauritius added that Mr Speaker was: “a very respectful chair for the topic on social media and its impact on parliamentarians. This was a touchy subject. It concerned some Hon Members, mostly women, who had been unjustly attacked and the negative impact that it had on their career. I was of course particularly concerned by the issue which the Hon Speaker dealt with tact and intelligence. This also corresponds to his very pleasant personality which we could all witness.”

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Notes for editors:

CSPOC takes place once every two years. The host for the 29th CSPOC, to be held in January 2028, will be the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

All related costs will be published on the Tynwald website in due course.

For further information contact:

Joann Corkish
Deputy Clerk of Tynwald
Legislative Buildings
Douglas
IM1 3PW
Tel: 01624 685500
j.corkish@tynwald.org.im