Today the Premier and Minister of Health, Agriculture and Human Services, Dr. The Hon. Rufus Ewing will join other political Leaders of the United Kingdom (UK) Overseas Territories as they prepare to meet with Baroness Anelay, Minister of State for the Overseas Territories in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) at the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) at Lancaster House in London this week.
The JMC is the highest political forum under the 2012 White Paper, bringing together UK Ministers, elected Leaders and Representatives of the Overseas Territories for the purpose of providing leadership and a shared vision for the Territories. The mandate is to monitor and drive forward collective priorities for action in the spirit of partnership.
The critical areas to be discussed during the JMC plenary sessions by UK and Overseas Territories Governments include the relationship between the UK and its Overseas Territories as well as the relationship between the Overseas Territories and the European Union post Brexit.
The commitments to action agreed during the JMC will be encapsulated in a Joint Communique which will be issued at the conclusion of the two days of meetings.
Prior to the JMC Meetings Premier Ewing will meet with the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association Political Council on 31st October 2016, to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest. This meeting is a follow up to the successful Pre JMC Meeting hosted by the Premier in Providenciales and Grand Turk in July.
During this visit to London, Premier Ewing will also engage in direct talks with the FCO Minister for the Overseas Territories, Baroness Anelay, on critical matters relating specifically to the Turks and Caicos Islands, particularly on the requested amendments to the Crown Land Policy which remains with the FCO for some weeks now, as well as the position of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) which was to fall away following the payoff of the UK Loan Guarantee.
These matters as well as other key initiatives will be the focus of the ministerial Government for the next six weeks, as the Executive remains intact following the dissolution of the House of Assembly on Thursday past, a move called for by the Premier during the final meeting last week. This ended the operations of the 10th Legislature until a new parliament is appointed by way of general elections, to be held on December 15, 2016.
