Twila Escalante, Deputy Clerk of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, visited the Scottish Parliament for a clerk attachment in March 2025.

This opportunity was organised by CPA UK as part of the UK Overseas Territories Project (UKOTP), which supports good governance and oversight of public finances in the UK Overseas Territories.

Ms Escalante shares her experience below:  

"I took part in a Clerk Attachment at the Scottish Parliament in March. Before I arrived a programme was specifically tailored for the time I was there. I'm pleased to say, I was not disappointed.  

Mr. David McGill, Clerk and Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament extended a very warm welcome, and Mr. Alexander Catechis of the International Relations Office of the Scottish Parliament was extremely helpful and kind.

The Clerk Attachment began with a tour of the magnificent Scottish Parliament. It's a landmark building which is relatively new and very modern yet holds much historical interest.  

The programme was made up of a series of presentations which were delivered efficiently. Great care was given to content and structure. There was a wide variety of presenters sharing their knowledge and obvious expertise.

I recognized some similar parliamentary procedures between the Parliament of the Cayman Islands and the Scottish Parliaments. For example, both Parliaments have Devolved powers and Reserved powers.

Another topic we addressed was Business Continuity. The Cayman Islands is in a hurricane zone and we've had earthquakes quite recently. It is always critical that when there's a natural disaster any disruptions are minimal to allow Parliamentarians and Parliamentary staff to continue their duties in a seamless manner.

David McGill, Clerk and Chief Executive of the Scottish Parliament, and Twila Escalante, Deputy Clerk of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands

The Parliament of the Cayman Islands has a robust Business Continuity Plan and it was very interesting to note that the Cayman Islands Plan was similar to the Legislative Assemblies Business Continuity Network (LABCON). On my return, the LABCON website and link were shared with our Parliament’s IT Department for subscription consideration and collaboration. 

I had the chance to attend a Meeting of the Parliament where I watched General and First Minister Questions put to the Scottish Government. It was during this session that I noticed that the Scottish Parliament was fully accessible to persons with disabilities.  

It was a great honour and a privilege to be given the exceptional opportunity to participate in a Clerk Attachment at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. My Clerk Attachment was truly an all-round learning experience and I would encourage anyone who gets a placement like this to embrace the learning experience."