Shillong, Nov 10: A large delegation of MLAs from Meghalaya are on an eight-day tour of the United Kingdom under a State Legislators’ Leadership Excellence Programme, seeking to learn how the world’s oldest democracy governs, leads, and delivers.
Led by Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma in the tour from November 7 to 14 in London and Cambridge, the team is scheduled to take part in intensive sessions with British academics, policy experts and former parliamentarians.
Among the visiting legislators are Deputy Speaker Limison D Sangma, Deputy Government Chief Whip Ronnie V Lyngdoh, Ministers Marcuise N Marak and Paul Lyngdoh, Government Chief Whip Celestine Lyngdoh, and MLAs Abu Taher Mondal, Rupert Momin, Subir Marak, Ollan Singh Suin, Mohammed Mizanur Rahman Kazi, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, Mayralborn Syiem, Gavin Miguel Mylliem, Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, Gabriel Wahlang, Kyrmen Shylla, Banteidor Lyngdoh, Balajied Kupar Synrem, Charles Pyngrope and Alexander Laloo Hek.
Also in the team are senior officials, including Chief Secretary Shakil P Ahammed, Additional Chief Secretary and MLRF Vice-Chair Sampath Kumar, F R Kharkongor, MR Synrem, Parliamentary Affairs Commissioner and Secretary Cyril Diengdoh, Assembly Secretary Malthus S Sangma and Legislation Adviser Andrew Simons.
“This programme is about learning from the best and adapting those lessons to Meghalaya’s reality,” Speaker Sangma said about the programme which is jointly organised by the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship Project (MLRF) and the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge, in collaboration with King’s India Institute, King’s College London, and LSE Consulting.
As part of their programme, the team will visit the Houses of Parliament at Westminster on November 11.
At Jesus College, Cambridge, participants will attend sessions on building alignment across government during fast-moving crises, the green transition as a pathway to prosperity, behavioural science and public policy, and leadership approaches to development challenges.
There will be Meghalaya-specific sessions — ‘Everyman’s Economics: Democratising the Economy of Meghalaya’ led by Antara Halder, and ‘Adaptive Leadership for Facilitating Economic Growth in Meghalaya’ led by Professor Ronald Heifetz.
“We want ideas that work in Shillong, not just in London. This programme connects global best practices with Meghalaya’s own development priorities,” Sampath Kumar said.
Experts interacting with the delegation include Professor Jaideep Prabhu, Julian Huppert, Professor Louise Tillin, David Halpern and other leading academics.
The programme will conclude on November 14 with certificate presentation and a formal farewell at Jesus College, Cambridge.
Assembly Speaker felicitated at UK Parliament
Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma was felicitated by Lord Uday Nagaraju, Member of the House of Lords, at the UK Parliament as part of the State Legislators’ Leadership Excellence Programme.
The delegation led by Sangma included Additional Chief Secretary and MLRF Vice-Chair Sampath Kumar, Commissioner and Secretary (Parliamentary Affairs) Cyril Diengdoh, Assembly Secretary Malthus S Sangma, Adviser (Legislation) Andrew Simons, MLRF Director and Project Lead Aiban Swer, NISG Project Officer and MLRF Co-Lead Stephen Anurag, and former UK MP and Director of the Intellectual Forum, Jesus College, Cambridge, Julian Huppert.
“This engagement is not just an honour for me, but for the people of Meghalaya. Understanding how one of the world’s oldest democracies functions will help us strengthen our own Assembly and serve our people better,” Sangma said.
Lord Nagaraju, also known as Lord Nagaraju of Bloomsbury, a Labour Party Life Peer, technology consultant and public policy expert, welcomed the delegation and shared insights into the working of the UK Parliament, its traditions and the role of the House of Lords in legislation and policy making.
“It is a pleasure to welcome Speaker Sangma and the Meghalaya delegation to Parliament. Exchanges like these strengthen democratic institutions and open doors for deeper cooperation between the UK and India, particularly with states like Meghalaya,” Lord Nagaraju said.
The interaction allowed the delegation to discuss parliamentary democracy, governance and institutional development, and to explore areas of future cooperation.
