From 11-13 June, National Ombudsman of the Netherlands, Reinier van Zutphen, will host the 9th biennial conference of the Caribbean Ombudsman Association (CAROA) at the Courtyard Marriott Hotel in Bonaire, under the theme “The Ombudsman—A Key Actor in the Quest for Good Governance/Challenges facing Modern Day Ombudsman.”
Naturally, the focus will be on the Caribbean region, with more than 15 countries of the region participating, including Grenada, represented by Acting Ombudsman Ronnie Marryshow. Grenada’s Ombudsman Nadica McIntyre died this past May.
Topics to be addressed include issues and challenges that the Ombudsmen face in their line of work, as well as human rights, equal opportunities and treatments. In addition, the Queen Margaret University will provide a training on complaint handling. The training has been sponsored by the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI).
CAROA was founded in 2002, and has as 1 of its main objectives to strengthen the Ombudsman institutions in the Caribbean. This is done by means of strengthening and maintaining the network both within the region as well as abroad. A conference such as this is a great opportunity for the Ombudsmen in our region to share their knowledge and experiences.
Office of the National Ombudsman of the Netherlands
