This weekend the Chief Minister, Senior Public Servants and I will travel to London to attend the second Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC). But what it is? What do we hope to achieve? And especially (for me) why tackle the onset of the harsh UK winter just months after arriving in Anguilla?
Put simply, the purpose of next week is to strengthen engagement between Ministers in the UK and the Territories. The past few years have been difficult. In Anguilla, the other Territories and in the UK, people have been struggling to make ends meet. Since coming to Anguilla I have been struck by the common aspirations of the people I have met here, and those I know in the UK. We all want better for our families, and especially our children. We all want to live in safe communities.
And so the entire morning of the Plenary day is being devoted to how we can achieve sustainable economic growth. We will look at what needs to be done to attract investment, and with it jobs. Later in the week an event will promote investment opportunities in the Territories to UK business. Other important sessions will cover renewable energy, crime and the environment to name a few. We will meet the UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Mark Simmonds specifically to talk about Anguilla. And the Chief Minister will join other Territory Leaders at the House of Commons’ Environmental Audit Committee, in discussing how we can preserve the startling natural heritage of the overseas territories.
Coming together gives us all a chance to listen to, and learn from, each other. A chance for Territory leaders to tell the UK what their priorities are. A chance for UK Ministers to explain what their departments are doing to honour Prime Minister Cameron’s commitment “to work with the Territories to address the Challenges we face together”.
Some might argue there is little to be gained from Anguilla’s elected leaders engaging with the UK. My view is that the challenges referred to by the Prime Minister are large. They cannot be solved easily, and they cannot be solved without us working in partnership through stronger relationships.
Flourishing communities; more jobs; less crime and a bright future for our young people are some of the prizes. My hope is that the JMC, despite the cold dark London days, might help us move a little closer to realising the sunshine of these shared goals.
It is easy to keep up to date with discussions at the Joint Ministerial Council: on twitter by following @British_OTs or the Governor on @HMGovAnguilla; and on facebook at The UK-Overseas Territories Family or Governor’s Office Anguilla
