Up Front
FCO Chief Here
The head of the Overseas Territories Departmentof the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr. John White, will paya four-day visit to the Cayman Islands on Tuesday, 5th December.
He will accompany His Excellency, the Governor,Mr. Peter Smith on his return to the islands. The Governor hasbeen away since 25th November, attending a round of high levelmeetings in London, including discussions with the Treasury Departmentand the House of Commons "All-Party Group."
The Governor's trip also included a two-day annual mini-conferenceof Caribbean Overseas Territories Governors held in Miami, whichexamined, among other issues, the White Paper, constitutionalreview, follow-up to the KPMG report and financial crime/drugs.
While here, Mr. White will undertake an official tour and is expectedto meet with the new government.
The FCO official's visit follows the Governor's discussion inLondon, of the Financial Action Task Force, the OECD, the MutualLegal Assistance Treaty and the KPMG report at the Treasury Department.
Prior to his departure, the Governor said that he would assurethe Treasury that the new government will continue dialogue onthese topics "within the framework already established andwith the objective of securing within that framework the bestinterest of the Cayman Islands as an international financial centre."
The Governor also briefed the House of Commons All-Party Group- of some 10 to 12 parliamentarians - on developments in the CaymanIslands. He attended the annual Cayman Islands Government reception,hosted for the first time, by the newly-appointed Cayman IslandsLondon Representative, Mrs. Jennifer Dilbert.
Mr. White will depart from the Cayman Islands on 9th December.