Bermuda To Host Overseas Territory Leaders

The Cabinet Office today released details of tomorrow’s visit of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) members who will be on Island to attend a pre-conference meeting. The meeting, the first of its kind ever held in Bermuda, will take place from June 3-6 2010 and includes the Premiers of both the Cayman Islands and British Virgin Islands.

Following last year’s Pre-OTCC held 7 December 2009 in London, all Overseas Territories (OT) Leaders agreed that Bermuda would host and organize this year’s pre-conference meeting. Fourteen Member countries comprise the remaining British Overseas Territories, with Bermuda being the oldest.

Those who will be in attendance include:

• The Hon. Mckeeva Bush OBE, Premier and Minister of Finance – The Cayman Islands
• The Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal OBE, Premier – The British Virgin Islands
• The Hon. Charles Kirnon, Minister of Communications and Works & Labour – Montserrat
• Mr. Edison Baird, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Social Development – Anguilla

The Premier, Dr. Ewart Brown will open this year’s conference at 8.00 a.m. Friday morning. The Fairmont Hamilton Princess will be the site of the summit, where an agenda covering the myriad of matters relevant to the OTs has been set, with Civil Aviation at the top of Bermuda’s list.

Today Premier Brown said:

Very rarely does Bermuda have an opportunity to have several Caribbean leaders on our shores at one time. We are truly honoured, and this event is without a doubt an historical moment for Bermuda.

It is not inconsequential that in addition to the recent UK election which resulted in a newly formed coalition government, a number of the Overseas Territories too can boast of new leadership. Bermuda has committed to a significant role with the Territories to engender partnership for progress into the future.

While on Island, the OTCC members will keep a busy schedule.

On Friday 4th June, at 8.00 a.m. Premier Brown will deliver the welcome remarks to open the Fairmont Hamilton Princess conference. Sessions begin immediately after.

At 9.30 a.m. the Heads of Government will pay a courtesy call on the Speaker of the House Stanley Lowe and will observe the morning’s Parliamentary session for a short period.

The leaders return to the Fairmont Hamilton Princess and following an informal luncheon with the Cabinet and Civil Service Executive, they will resume the business sessions. At 5.00 p.m. there will be an official press conference at which time the Primer will deliver an update on the day’s deliberations.

Members will have an opportunity to experience the beauty of our island on Saturday morning with a driving tour to St. George. At 11.00 am they will meet the Mayor of St. George, Kenneth Bascome. Following a ferry ride to Dockyard from St. George and a tour of Commissioner’s House, the OT leaders will be hosted to a special lunch by Dr. Edward C. Harris and Mr. Walter M. Lister.

The Premier will host a dinner for OTCC guests that evening at Tucker’s Point, and the OTCC delegation will depart on Sunday, June 5.

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory along with 13 other jurisdictions; Anguilla, the British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena, Turks and Caicos, Pitcairn Island, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, and the Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus. A map of all is shown below:

#BermudaGovernment #BritishOverseasTerritories #CaribbeanRelations #CaymanIslands

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