Regional Seminar on Parliament and Good Governance:
Towards a New Agenda for
Strengthening Accountability in South Asia
Dhaka, Bangladesh, March 19-24, 1999
Jointly organised by Transparency International (Bangladesh) and the Parliamentary Centre (Canada), in partnership with the World Bank institute, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (The Netherlands)
PROGRAMME
SEMINAR OPENING: "WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION" The Laurentian Seminar is designed to promote a global dialogue among parliamentarians on governance, and to strengthen parliaments in addressing critical, contemporary issues within a good governance framework. The 1998 Laurentian Seminar held in Canada brought together parliamentarians from around the world to discuss how they and their parliaments can help control corruption. The Seminar in Bangladesh will provide an opportunity for parliamentarians and civil society representatives to address the issues of parliamentary accountability and corruption in the South Asian context, sharing experience and lessons learned among representatives of the five participating countries. |
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| 19th March | ||||||
| Morning | Delegates arrive and are met at the Airport for transfer to the Conference Centre | |||||
| 14:30 – 16:30 | Participant Registration | |||||
| 17:30 – 18:30 | Reception | |||||
| 19:00 – 21:00 | Opening Dinner | |||||
| Þ | Syed Humayun Kabir | |||||
| Chairman, Transparency International Bangladesh | ||||||
| Þ | Mr. Robert Miller | |||||
| Executive Director, Parliamentary Centre | ||||||
| Þ | Mr. D. C. B. Den Haas Ambassador, The Netherlands |
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| Þ | Mr. Rick Stapenhurst | |||||
| Economic Development Institute, World Bank | ||||||
| Þ | Mr. Nicholas Etheridge | |||||
| High Commissioner, Canada | ||||||
| Þ | Mr. Pierre Landell - Mills | |||||
| Former Country Director, World Bank - Bangladesh | ||||||
| Þ | Mr. Manzoor Hasan | |||||
| Executive Director, TI - Bangladesh | ||||||
DAY ONE: "PARLIAMENT & GOOD GOVERNANCE IN SOUTH ASIA" Day One serves to set the framework for the Laurentian Seminar, clarifying the concept of good governance and the contribution of parliament to strengthening principles of accountability, transparency and participation. The role of parliament in addressing the challenges of good governance are then discussed in the South Asian context. |
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| 20th March | ||||||
| 07:30 – 09:15 | Breakfast | |||||
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Daily Introduction to the PROGRAMME | |||||
| 10:00 -- 11:00 | "The Ecology of Governance and Parliament" | |||||
| Þ | Mr. Robert Miller | |||||
| Executive Director, Parliamentary Centre | ||||||
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Panel Presentations: "Parliament and Good Governance: South Asian Experience" | |
| Þ | Dr. Muzaffer Ahmad | |
| Trustee, Transparency International Bangladesh | ||
| Þ | The Pakistan Experience | |
| Mr.
Shafqat Mahmood Senator Senate of Pakistan |
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| 13:15 – 14:30 | Lunch | ||
| 14:30 – 15:30 | Group Discussions | ||
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Break | ||
| 15:45 – 17:00 | Group Reports to Plenary | ||
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Daily Review | ||
| 17:30 – 19:00 | Free | ||
| 19:00 – 21:00 | Dinner | ||
| 20:00 | TI-Bangladesh Presentation | ||
DAY TWO: "STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY TO CONTROL CORRUPTION—AN EMERGING AGENDA" The need to strengthen financial accountability in order to control corruption has emerged as a major governance issue over the past few years. Day Two will provide an opportunity to clarify the concept of accountability and share experiences regarding efforts to strengthen accountability systems in South Asia, with particular reference to the control of corruption. |
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| 21st March | |||||
| 07:30 – 09:15 | Breakfast | ||||
| 09:30 – 10:00 | Daily Introduction to PROGRAMME | ||||
| 10:00 -- 11:00 | "Accountability and the Control of Corruption" | ||||
| Þ | Mr. Rick Stapenhurst | ||||
| The World Bank Institute | |||||
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Panel Presentations: "South Asian Experience in Strengthening Accountability and Controlling Corruption" | ||||
| Þ | Mr. K. Gopakumar | ||||
| Public Affairs Centre, India | |||||
| Þ | Mr.
S. M. Akram (MP) Chairman, Public Accounts Committee (Bangladesh) |
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| Þ | Sundari de Alwis (Sri Lanka) | ||||
| Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) | |||||
| 12:30 – 13:45 | Lunch | ||||
| 13:45 – 15:30 | Group Discussions | ||||
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Break | ||||
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Group Reports to Plenary | ||||
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Daily Review | ||||
| 17:30 – 19:00 | Free | ||||
| 19:00 – 21:00 | Dinner | ||||
| 20:00 | Electoral Transparency - Gopakumar K. PAC | ||||
DAY THREE: "STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY—THE ROLE OF THE BUDGET PROCESS" The budget cycle is one of the most important ways in which parliament can strengthen financial accountability. In the budget process, parliamentarians have the opportunity to debate and influence broad national goals, as well as monitor and assess government PROGRAMMEs and expenditures, particularly through finance and public accounts committees. Day Three will take a closer look at this central parliamentary activity and examine the South Asian experience in using budgets to establish financial accountability. |
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| 22nd March | ||||
| 07:30 – 09:15 | Breakfast | |||
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Daily Introduction to PROGRAMME | |||
| 10:00 – 11:00 | The Budget Cycle Process | |||
| Þ | Dr. Steven Langdon | |||
| Senior Associate, Parliamentary Centre | ||||
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Panel Presentations: "The Budget Cycle as an instrument of accountability: The South Asian Experience" | |||
| Þ | Mr.
Hafeezuddin Khan Comptroller & Auditor General (Bangladesh) |
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| Þ | Ms. Karmacharya Member of Parliament (Nepal) |
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| 12:30 – 13:45 | Lunch | |||
| 13:45 – 15:30 | Group Discussions | |||
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Break | |||
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Group Reports to Plenary | |||
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Daily Review | |||
| 17:30 – 19:00 | Free | |||
| 19:00 – 21:00 | Dinner ( Dhaka) | |||
DAY FOUR: "BUILDING INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY—A LEADERSHIP ROLE FOR PARLIAMENTS?" The budget process illustrates that there are tools available to parliament to hold government accountable, provided these tools are effectively developed and used. Day Four examines the requirements to strengthen parliamentary capacity to ensure accountability and control corruption, focusing in particular on the South Asian experience. |
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| 23rd March | |||
| 07:30 – 09:15 | Breakfast | ||
| 09:45 – 10:00 | Daily Introduction to PROGRAMME | ||
| 10:00 – 11:00 | "Financial Accountability: Parliament and the Watchdog Agencies" | ||
| Þ | Mr. Vinod Sahgal | ||
| The World Bank | |||
| 11:00 – 12:30 | Panel Presentations: "Priorities for Capacity Building in South Asia" | ||
| Þ | Mr. Shree Bhadra Sharma | ||
| Transparency International Nepal | |||
| Þ | Syed Naveed Qamar Member, National Assembly (Pakistan) |
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| 12:30 –13:45 | Lunch | ||
| 13:45 – 15:30 | Group Discussions | ||
| 15:30 – 15:45 | Break | ||
| 16:00 – 17:00 | Group Reports to Plenary | ||
| 17:00 – 17:30 | Daily Review | ||
| 17:30 – 19:00 | Free | ||
| 19:00 – 21:00 | Cultural Evening | ||
| Dinner | |||
DAY FIVE: "EVALUATION—PRIORITIES AND NEXT STEPS" Day Five will review the main points in the previous discussions, identify the most valuable lessons learned and discuss future regional co-operation to strengthen accountability and control corruption (e.g. through parliamentary networks). |
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| 24th March | |||
| 07:30 – 09:15 | Breakfast | ||
| 09:20 – 10:00 | Daily Introduction to PROGRAMME | ||
| 10:00 – 11:00 | Plenary Discussion: Lessons Learned | ||
| 11:00 – 12:00 | Plenary Discussion: Next Steps and Networking | ||
| 12:00 – 13:00 | Closing Lunch | ||
| Chief Guest Mr. Abdul Hamid, Advocate Honourable Deputy Speaker Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad (National Parliament) |
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| 14:30 | Dhaka | ||
| 17:00 – 19:00 | Press Conference Press Club Dhaka |
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