Press statement on the Government of Montserrat’s Montserrat’s team visit to the United Kingdom for the overseas territories consultative conference

Press statement on the Government of Montserrat’s team visit to the United Kingdom for the Overseas Territories Consultative Conference, from November 19^th to 24^th 2006.

From Left to Right: Honourable Minister of Education John Osborne, Honourable Chief Minister Dr Lowell Lewis, Government Backbencher David Brandt,

Brades, Montserrat, GIU, November 28^th 2006 - The team was led by the Honourable Chief Minister Dr Lowell Lewis, and included the Honourable Minister of Education, Health Community Services John Osborne, the Honourable Financial Secretary, John Skerritt, Government Backbencher, Hon David Brandt and Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Chief Minister, Mrs Sarita Francis.

The first session was a meeting on Sunday 19^th November 2006 at BVI House in London, of the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories Chief Ministers and Premiers, at which we discussed current problems and the agenda for the Overseas Territories Consultative Conference.

The key outcomes of this meeting was an agreement to meet twice yearly as Caribbean Overseas Territories Chief Ministers, with the first meeting scheduled for April 2007 in the Cayman Islands.

Chief Ministers also agreed to put on the agenda for this meeting, joint proposals for access to tertiary healthcare, constitutional reform and the collaboration on cultural heritage tourism.

On Monday the group attended the annual meeting of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association, (UKOTA) chaired by the Falklands Islands. The only overseas Territory not represented was Gibraltar.

The main decisions taken at this meeting included the strengthening of the OCTA’s secretariat and providing shared funding to enable representatives of less well off Overseas Territories to participate in the meetings of the Caribbean Overseas Territories. There was general agreement to become more involved in setting the agenda for future meetings of the OTCC and to improve coordination of regional projects for submission for European Union funding.

On Tuesday and Wednesday, there was the meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council, which was preceded by the announcement by the British Higher Education Minister, Hon Bill Rammell, that from September 2007, students from Montserrat and other British Overseas Territories are to be treated as home students for fee purposes at Educational Institutions in the UK.

Students from Montserrat and other British Overseas Territories will also be able to borrow three thousand pounds tuition fee from the UK government to enroll in courses, and will not have to pay back the money up front, or until after graduation when their earnings reach a level equivalent to fifteen thousand pounds a year.

The Honourable Minister of Education John Osborne will speak more on this.

The 8^th meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council began with a private session with Lord Triesman, the Chief Ministers of the Overseas Territories.

Discussions centered on constitutional issues, in particular measures for good governance and protecting the contingent liability of the United Kingdom.

There was agreement for examination of the systems that may be introduced to allow further delegation of the special responsibilities of the Governor.

There was also agreement on the following:

1. That the UN Convention Against Corruption would be extended to Montserrat and other Overseas Territories at the earliest opportunity.

2. To take note of a document which sets out the principles of Good Governance

3. To work together towards the implementation of a strategy for the Territories which would integrate the work of all those involved in the criminal justice system. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also announced that it would consider funding projects to take forward immediate priorities which would be of benefit across agencies and across territories.

4. 4. To carry out reviews of Disaster Preparedness as part of a rolling programme.

There were a number of presentations on Tuesday at this meeting including sessions on:

Aviation and Maritime Security Issues. Speakers were Peter Kirk, Assistant Director, Aviation Security Division, Department of Transport, Stephen Hilton, Senior Adviser Maritime Security, Department of Transport and John Pears, Regional Aviation and maritime Security Adviser.

Good Governance and Ethics. This was chaired by Sir Peter Ricketts, Permanent Secretary Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Human Rights. Speakers were Phil Mason, Head of Overseas Territories Department, Department for International Development and Felicia Robinson from the NCH.

The Criminal Justice Strategy. This session was chaired by Denise Holt, Director Migration and Overseas Territories at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with the Right Honourable Baroness Patricia Scotland, Home Office Minister of State, spoke on the issues.

On Wednesday there were two sessions.

One, on the Challenge of Climate Change/Disaster Preparedness, speakers were Sir Nicholas Stern, Author of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, and John Ashton, Special Representative for Climate Change, Dr. Matt Huddlestone from the Met Office

The other on Combating International Corruption: UK Action Plan, the speaker being the Right Honourable Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development.

On Wednesday 22^nd November 2007, the Montserrat team had a bilateral meeting with Lord Triesman, where I was joined by Hon David Brandt and Permanent Secretary, Mrs Sarita Francis attended.

The Team used the opportunity to thank Lord Triesman for the decision on access to higher education. We also made a request for residents of Montserrat to have access to tertiary healthcare in the United Kingdom and asked him to support attempts for us to provide in Montserrat a social welfare package, similar to those that are offered to residents of the United Kingdom. We also asked for UK pensioners living on Montserrat to have index linked pensions.

Now these requests are all part of the Government of Montserrat’s strategy for population increase.

We were able to reassure Lord Triesman of our commitment to continue to develop the safe northern part of Montserrat, which is at negligible risk from the volcano.

During our wrap up meeting with Lord Triesman, we took the opportunity to explain to him how the Governor’s powers can have a negative influence on effective political leadership in Montserrat.

We asked for his support in the strengthening of our capacity to absorb some of the duties of the Governor, with the prompt appointment of an indigenous Deputy Governor and the provision of a fifth Minister of Government.

The Minister Lord Triesman, made it clear that in fulfilling his responsibility to the United Kingdom’s Parliament, that his line of responsibility would be through the Governor. This indicates that he is not yet ready to delegate the special responsibilities of the Governor to local elected members.

This is not a consistent policy, since in the United Kingdom and other Overseas Territories, such as Bermuda, responsibility for the Public Service and Security are delegated either to a Minister of Government or to non partisan Executive Commissions, on whose advice the Governors must act in accordance.

In summary, we discussed with Lord Triesman, issues relating to access to tertiary education and healthcare in the UK, constitutional reform population increase strategies and proposals for a Climate Change Centre in Montserrat and Geothermal Energy research and development.

Other activities during the UK visit included discussions with Treasury officials on the double taxation treaty, which exists between Montserrat and the United Kingdom, and is meant to encourage better off UK residents to retire to Montserrat.

We also received a presentation on a proposal for rehabilitation and care of the elderly and visited the London office of the Gibraltar Government, to make arrangements for the reactivation of a Memorandum of Understanding in which the Gibraltar Government has made commitments to assist Montserrat in several areas.

I also had the pleasure of being introduced to Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edingburgh and other members of the Royal Family at Buckingham Palace, during The Queen’s Annual Diplomatic Reception.

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