The Anguilla delegation to the Joint Ministerial Council in London and all the other delegations from the Overseas Territories were welcomed to the second annual meeting on Tuesday, November 26, by the Foreign Office Minister, Mr Mark Simmonds.
“I was delighted to host this year’s Joint Ministerial Council and greatly valued my discussions with the leaders of the Overseas Territories. There was a real sense of progress towards a shared ambition for the Territories as vibrant and flourishing communities,” the Minister told the delegations after the meeting. “We are working together to support economic growth and job creation and to demonstrate that the Territories are among the best places in the world to do business.”
The UK and the Overseas Territories’ Governments have agreed to work together on education and training, green energy, the environment, governance, security issues and other areas of cooperation.
On Wednesday, the working sessions focused on health, the environment, passports and visas. The Anguilla Chief Minister, along with other territory leaders, attended a luncheon hosted by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. Chief Minister Hughes, his delegation and his Overseas Territories colleagues, also met with the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee (comprising UK Members of Parliament) to discuss sustainability in the Overseas Territories. On Thursday, the focus was on an Overseas Territory’s Business Event. At that function, Anguilla and the other OTs had a chance to meet with a wide variety of businesses interested in investing in the Overseas Territories.
Meanwhile, during the Ministerial Council, Chief Minister Hughes raised concerns about the G8 agenda. He repeated his call to the European Union, and the G8 in particular, for a level playing field when talking about a register of beneficial ownership.
The Anguilla delegation comprised Chief Minister Hughes; Dr Aidan Harrigan, Permanent Secretary Finance; Perin Bradley, Compliance Manager; Josephine Gumbs-Connor, Independent Legal Adviser to the Chief Minister; Patrick Hanley, Adviser to the Chief Minister; and Dorothea Hodge, the UK/EU Representative to the Government of Anguilla. The delegation was accompanied by Her Excellency The Governor, Ms Christina Scott.
