After two days of meetings at Lancaster House that ended on Wednesday, the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council issued a 10-page joint communiqué that set out undisclosed “priority issues” as well as a “comprehensive action plan” to be worked on jointly in 2013.
It also set out the right of each territory to choose to remain a part of the British Overseas Territory family or not, and how they might go about severing the link, should the “people of the territory” in question choose to do so.
A plan to jointly seek to raise the international profile of the overseas territories and to “work to build closer relationships with the EU and the Commonwealth” was also agreed.
The meeting was described as the Council’s first since it was created to succeed the Overseas Territories Consultative Council.
Headed up by Britain’s Minister for Overseas Territories, Mark Simmonds, the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council is envisioned as meeting annually from now on.
It will oversee the territories’ strategy as a group, and provide the 14 jurisdictions – which include a number of Caribbean islands, the British Antarctic Territory, two UK military bases in Cyprus and Gibraltar – with a forum “for the exchange of views on political and constitutional issues” between the territorial governments and the UK, as well as to promote their security, good governance, and economic and social development.
Spelling out the UK/territory relationship
“We are committed to a modern relationship based on partnership and shared values,” the communiqué, which may be viewed by clicking here, said.
“We share a commitment to the principle and right of self-determination.
“The people of each territory have the right to choose whether or not their Territory should remain a British Overseas Territory.
“Any decision to sever the constitutional link between the UK and a territory should be on the basis of the clear and constitutionally expressed wish of the people of the territory.
“We believe that the UN decolonisation committee should delist territories where this is their wish.”
Among those who attended the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council meeting were Anguilla chief minister Hubert Hughes; Bermuda attorney general and senator, Kim N Wilson; Cayman Islands premier McKeeva Bush; Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly members Jan Cheek and Sharon Halford; Gibraltar chief minister Fabian Picardo; Montserrat premier Reuben Meade; deputy mayor of Pitcairn Simon Young; and Turks and Caicos Islands premier Rufus Ewing.
The 14 territories are: Anguilla; Bermuda; the British Antarctic Territory; the British Indian Ocean Territory; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands and its dependencies; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn; Henderson; Ducie and Oeno islands; St Helena and its dependencies; the sovereign base areas on Cyprus of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; the Turks and Caicos islands; and the Virgin Islands.
