Studying the statement: Parliament ratifies Caribbean Responsible AI Framework

GREAT BAY--Parliament of St. Maarten has ratified a regional outcome statement committing participating Caribbean legislatures to concrete action on artificial intelligence, including AI readiness assessments, ethical governance, data privacy, cybersecurity, legislation, information integrity and ensuring that the technology develops in a way that reflects Caribbean societies rather than leaving small island states behind.

The CPA UK & UNESCO Anguilla Workshop Outcome Statement on Responsible AI and Parliamentary Actions in the Caribbean was developed following a June 21-24 workshop in Anguilla involving parliamentarians and parliamentary officials from St. Maarten, Anguilla, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, Saint Lucia, Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom.

The document recognizes AI’s potential to improve parliamentary effectiveness, public services, education, access to information, economic opportunity, climate resilience and sustainable development, while also warning that the technology can deepen inequality and create risks for human rights, privacy, democratic participation, public trust, cultural diversity, information integrity and the rule of law.

It calls for AI governance in the Caribbean to be ethical, human-centred, rights-based, inclusive, transparent, accountable, secure and responsive to the circumstances of Small Island Developing States.

Among the commitments are strengthening the ability of MPs and parliamentary staff to use AI responsibly, establishing internal guidance for human-supervised use of AI in Parliament, supporting public education and skills development and encouraging national governments to conduct inclusive AI readiness assessments.

The framework also calls for stronger oversight mechanisms, ethical impact assessments, reviews of existing laws governing data protection, privacy, public procurement and access to information, and the development of proportionate AI governance frameworks.

Cybersecurity is given particular attention, with participating legislatures urged to strengthen national frameworks to protect public data, public services and critical national infrastructure against risks emerging from the rapid development of AI.

The document also calls for action on misinformation and disinformation, particularly during elections and national emergencies, while distinguishing harmful manipulation from legitimate expression, journalism and political debate.

Irion: St. Maarten cannot afford to be left behind

MP Ardwell Irion, who attended the Anguilla workshop together with President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams, welcomed Parliament’s move to ratify the statement and said St. Maarten must ensure it keeps pace with the rapid development of artificial intelligence.

Irion said the speed at which AI has developed over the past year has reinforced the importance of Parliament’s decision to focus on digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

He said one of the important discussions among participating Caribbean parliamentarians was ensuring that Small Island Developing States are not left behind as larger countries move ahead with AI policy, regulation and investment.

Irion also highlighted the importance of protecting Caribbean cultural identity.

“How do we as a Caribbean people ensure that, going forward, AI represents us?” Irion asked, stressing that St. Maarten and the wider region must participate in shaping the datasets, systems and policies that will increasingly influence how societies operate.

He said Parliament must look beyond simply using AI internally and consider how the technology can benefit the wider population.

Irion questioned how St. Maarten can ensure that access to artificial intelligence does not become limited to a select group and said the country should ultimately explore how AI can contribute to healthcare, tourism, business, the economy and other areas of national development.

“Everyone has access to intelligence. How do we ensure that everyone on the island also has access to artificial intelligence?” he asked.

Wescot-Williams calls for next steps

Wescot-Williams said the Anguilla discussions covered AI readiness, legislation, ethical governance, data privacy, information integrity and digital platforms, among other issues.

She said the outcome statement was subsequently circulated to the participating parliaments for approval and is now expected to guide further work through Parliament’s Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence Work Group.

Wescot-Williams said the work group should continue examining the document and eventually bring recommendations back to Parliament for discussion and decisions on the specific steps St. Maarten should take.

The regional statement itself requires participating legislatures to identify at least one priority follow-up action and an appropriate focal point, with CPA UK expected to coordinate an initial progress update in October 2026.

Regional approach to AI

The statement also calls for Caribbean countries to cooperate on digital sovereignty, AI regulation and policy development rather than addressing the technology entirely in isolation.

It supports the Caribbean Artificial Intelligence Policy Roadmap as a regional framework and encourages collaboration with organizations including CPA UK, UNESCO, ParlAmericas, CARICOM, CARICOM IMPACS, the Caribbean Court of Justice and academic institutions.

Attention is also given to gender equality, inclusion, environmental sustainability and the development of representative datasets and digital resources that reflect Caribbean societies.

For St. Maarten, Parliament’s ratification means the discussion now moves from regional agreement to implementation, with Irion and Wescot-Williams both indicating that the next stage should focus on determining how responsible AI can improve parliamentary work while also delivering practical benefits for residents and protecting privacy, culture, security and democratic institutions.

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