Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Brent Symonette represented Hubert Ingraham, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, at the official opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in Perth, Australia, on October 28, 2011.

The ceremony took place at the Riverside Theatre of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II, Head of the Commonwealth.

Invitees were welcomed by the traditional elders of the local Noongar Aboriginal Community and were addressed by Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia; Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago; and Kamalesh Sharma, Commonwealth Secretary-General.

Fifty-four heads of government assembled in Perth to attend the event 28-30 October.