Hashtag: #BritishOverseasTerritories
Cayman Islands Seeking Constitutional Changes
The Cayman Islands has presented the UK with proposed constitutional changes and now await the UK’s response, Cayman Premier Alden McLaughlin said, explaining that they seek “safeguards” to confirm that the UK “will not seek to legislate, directly or indirectly for the Cayman Islands without, at a minimum, consultation with... Read more of this article
UK MPs Continue To Discuss OT’s Registers
The topic of enforcing the UK’s legislation for the British Overseas Territories, including Bermuda, to make their beneficial ownership registers public continues to be discussed in British Parliament and Committees. According to the Hansard for Thursday, Baroness Stern asked “what technical assistance will be provided to the British Overseas... Read more of this article
Cayman Also Pass Economic Substance Bill
As Bermuda’s legislators were passing a Bill designed to keep the island off the European Union’s blacklist, lawmakers in the Cayman Islands were doing the same, with the Cayman also passing an Economic Substance Bill on Monday. This follows after the European Union threatened to blacklist jurisdictions that did not meet their specifications... Read more of this article
Minister Brown’s Trip To London Cost $9,942.50
A trip earlier this month by Minister for the Cabinet Office Walton Brown to London attend the Bermuda Executive Forum & Joint Ministerial Council Meeting cost $9,942.50, according to a recent listing on the Government’s travel webpage. The trip duration was listed as from December 1, 2018 – December 6, 2018, and the web page listing said, “The... Read more of this article
OTs Expected To Have Public Registers By 2023
The United Kingdom “will prepare draft legislation by the end of 2020, with all Overseas Territories expected to have fully functioning public registers by the end of 2023.” This was stated by Minister of State Sir Alan Duncan in response to a question from Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge, who was one of the key MPs in bringing forth the amendment... Read more of this article
Lord Ahmad On Territories Meeting In UK
“We continued our dialogue on the implications for the Overseas Territories of the UK’s departure from the EU” and “highlighted the importance of continued engagement with the EU Commission and underlined that the delivery of legislation is of paramount importance.” This was stated by British Minister of State Lord Ahmad of... Read more of this article
Premier Attends OT Association Meeting In UK
Yesterday Premier David Burt and Minister for the Cabinet Office Walton Brown joined with members of the UK Overseas Territories Association [UKOTA] at a Political Council Meeting in London, as they discussed ”key issues impacting the United Kingdom’s overseas territories.” Premier Burt tweeted the photos below, saying: “I joined... Read more of this article
‘Two Major Weaknesses Of The Legal System’
“Bermuda has a robust court system that upholds and enforces fundamental rights” however “there are two major weaknesses of the legal system in Bermuda [and, presumably, other overseas territories]: access to justice and protection of fundamental rights, particularly for the most vulnerable.” This is according to local lawyers... Read more of this article
Oxfam GB Calls For ‘Global Minimum Tax Rate’
Oxfam — which describes itself as an international confederation working to fight poverty and injustice — has called for the United Kingdom Government to “work with” the Overseas Territories by “implementing a global minimum effective tax rate.” This came as Oxfam GB submitted written evidence for the British Parliament’s... Read more of this article
BVI: UK Govt Should Do Constitutional Review
“Given the seriousness of recent decisions by the UK Parliament in relation to the OTs, the UK Government should undertake a constitutional review of the relationship between the OTs and the UK with a view to placing the relationship on a more modern and progressive constitutional footing,” the British Virgin Islands Government said. This... Read more of this article
130 OT Citizens Serving In British Armed Forces
As of 1 April 2018, there were 130 British Overseas Territory Citizens serving in the regular trained strength of the British Armed Forces. This was stated in yesterday’s sitting of the British Parliament, when Scottish Conservative MP Andrew Bowie asked the Secretary of State for Defence, “with reference to his news release of 5 November Armed... Read more of this article
UK Inquiry Into Territories To Continue On Nov 6
The British Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee inquiry into “how the Foreign Office manages its responsibility to ensure the security and stability” of the British Overseas Territories is set to continue with another oral evidence session on Tuesday, November 6th. The witnesses scheduled to appear include British Virgin Islands Government... Read more of this article
