London, England, February 16, 2017 – The Premier and Minister of Finance, Investment and Trade, Honourable Sharlene L. Cartwright Robinson, this week joined other leaders of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOT) in London at an extraordinary Joint Ministerial Council (Overseas Territories – Europe Negotiations) (JMC (OT-EN)) Meeting specifically arranged to begin preliminary negotiations with the United Kingdom (UK) Government in anticipation of the enactment of Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon and Britain’s exit from the European Union.
The two-day meeting of the JMC (OT-EN), which was agreed in London back in October last year among the Overseas Territories (OT) Leaders during the annual Joint Ministerial Council Meeting as the primary forum for dialogue on the UK’s exit from the EU, sought to facilitate political engagement and collaboration between the UK Government and the Governments of the Overseas Territories to ensure that OT’s requirements are taken into consideration in the preparations of the UK to exit the EU.
Among the opportunities presented by the forum was the discussion on areas of opportunity for EU cooperation and collaboration with the OTs that may be affected during the period that the UK remains a member of the EU; the basis for a future relationship between the UK, OTs and EU; and it further provided a road map for future engagement at the Ministerial and Official level to ensure that matters agreed at the forum are upheld during UK negotiations on their exit from the EU.
JMC (OT-EN) was hosted by the Rt. Hon. Baroness Anelay of St. Johns DBE Minister of State of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Mr. Robin Walker MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, DExEU, and was attended by leaders of twelve members of the Overseas Territories of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) which includes: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, St Helena and Ascension Islands, Tristan Da Cunha and The Turks and Caicos Islands.
During the week-long visit, Premier Cartwright Robinson also had three other key engagements: a bilateral meeting with Baroness Anelay on key areas of concern for the Turks and Caicos Islands Government, among which are national security, border protection and policing, human rights concerns and SIPT funding; a meeting with the Minister of State for Security, Hon. Ben Wallace MP on proposed amendments to the Criminal Finances Bill, which if passed in the UK Parliament could see the introduction of open registries in British Overseas Territories sooner than originally anticipated; and an Introduction and Photocall Session and Tour along with the other leaders, with the Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP, The Prime Minister at No. 10 Downing Street in London.
While in the UK, the Premier also hosted receptions in London and Manchester, where the she addressed the Turks and Caicos Islands students and diaspora on matters of national priority and the focus of her Government, and further had the opportunity to hear from attendees on matters of interest to them. As an advocate for the development and empowerment of young people, the Premier found the evenings informative and invigorating and noted that she looks forward to engaging with the diaspora further when she next visits London in June of this year for the next OT-EN and Pre-JMC meetings.
Premier Cartwright-Robinson returned to the TCI to attend the meeting of the House of Assembly that was scheduled on Monday, February 13, 2017 in the capital, Grand Turk.
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