New OT minister heads to BVI on first OT visit

(CNS): Mark Simmonds, the FCO’s new overseas territories minister, is heading to the Caribbean this week but he will not be coming to the Cayman Islands. The FCO said he would be visiting the British Virgin Islands on his first trip to a Caribbean territory since being given the FCO job last month following the UK prime minister’s reshuffle. “I am really looking forward to visiting the British Virgin Islands, which will be my first trip to a territory since starting my new role as Minister for the Overseas Territories,” Simmonds stated. “While I have visited the British Virgin Islands before, I am excited to be going back this time in an official capacity.

“I am interested to see how the territory has progressed and developed since I was last there. I am also delighted to have the opportunity to renew my acquaintance with the Honourable Premier and hear his plans for BVI’s future.”

Simmonds will move on to Anguilla after leaving BVI on 24 October but there has been no news yet of when the new minister will be visiting the Cayman Islands. Simmonds has already met Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush when he visited the minister last month on his way to Greenland. Bush told Simmonds then that he would not be passing the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility agreement by the 30 September in accordance with the UK deadline but that he would be addressing it sometime during the next legislative session, which starts on 5 November.