The Anguilla delegation will be having a leading role at the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in London, next week.
The delegation will comprise Premier Dr. Lorenzo Webster; Parliamentary Secretary, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie; and representatives from the island’s UK/EU London office.
Information about the JMC was provided by Ms. Dorothea Hodge, Anguilla’s UK/EU representative who is based in London. She stated:
“The Premier has commissioned from us a documentation that defines what has been lost post BREXIT, and the nature of the kind of relationship that Anguilla would like to have with the UK going forward. He will be driving that – and leading that, with his peers [from the other Overseas Territories]. This is because he recognises that this is the time to renew the relationship with the UK – and to do that in partnership and cooperation with the UK, but not popped down from the UK to the OTs.”
Ms. Hodge continued: “The Overseas Territories have been involved, and must be involved in the political process; and he [Dr. Webster] will be leading that debate with his colleagues. He has commissioned quite a detailed paper on these issues – to set the tone and the standard for how we move forward in terms of the Overseas Territories’ relationship with the UK.
“I think everyone – in most of the Overseas Territories – knows that Anguilla will lead on this conversation; and that we have been the ones who have really marked this out, and have been persistent on it.”
The Anguilla Government representative added: “We need a different relationship with the UK now. We are not saying this on everything, but we are saying there has to be a mature relationship, cooperation and true partnership.”
