Up Front
UK Visit a "profile-raisingexercise" - H.E. the Governor
Pictured (left ) are: Baroness Scotland and (right)Flashback: At the annual Cayman Islands Government reception inLondon on Thursday November 30. From left are guests of honour,His Excellency the Governor, Mr Peter Smith and his wife, MrsSuzanne Smith; host, Mrs Jennifer Dilbert, the current GovernmentRepresentative in the United Kingdom; and guests.
Presenting a clearer image of life in theCayman Islands to UK leaders, as well as reiterating the Government'sposition on key international financial initiatives, were theachievements of a recent overseas trip by His Excellency the Governor,Mr. Peter Smith.
"It was a profile-raising exercise," he said of thetwo days in London. "The networking was really quite helpful,and I'm sure the persons I spoke with will pass on the good thingsthat they heard."
While in London on November 29 - 30, the Governor met a formercolleague, Mr. Joseph Halligan, who heads the Treasury Department'sinternational initiatives. The Governor reassured him that theExecutive Council (ExCo) agreed to operate in the establishedframework regarding the Organisation for Economic and Co-operativeDevelopment (OECD), the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), theMutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) and the KPMG report. "Iexpressed to Mr. Halligan that our objective is to secure, withinthat framework, the best interests of the Cayman Islands as afinancial centre," Mr. Smith said.
He noted that he asked Ms Jennifer Dilbert, who has taken up herpost as the Islands' Government Representative in London, to participatein that meeting because of her finance background. "We nowhave a Caymanian in London who is sharp, knows her stuff, andis very proactive," the Governor emphasised. "That isdefinitely an asset. She is a valuable resource and we shouldmake maximum use of her office."
Mr. Smith then attended a briefing luncheon with Conservativeleaders of the House of Commons, including persons representingthe All-Party Group and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association,which met here in August.
Baroness Rawlings, who is the Opposition spokesperson on foreignaffairs in the House of Lords - and who is the counterpart toBaroness Scotland, the Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories- was also present.
"Overall, they wanted to know more about the Cayman Islandsgenerally and the offshore business specifically," the Governorsaid. "Those who knew about Cayman were well informed, butthose who were less aware are now much better clued-up. They feelit's good that we are being more pro-active about the positivethings that are happening here."
His next official visit was tea with Baroness Scotland, duringwhich he briefed her on the new Government, the way forward andhis initial impressions. "She and I get on very well afterher visit here in August," Mr. Smith noted. "Duringthat visit, she met the Members of the Legislative Assembly, includingMr. Kurt Tibbetts. In fact, on November 24, she sent a telegramasking me to pass a congratulatory message to him following hiselection as Leader of Government Business."
That message read: "May I send you my and Her Majesty's Government'scongratulations on your victory in the Cayman Islands GeneralElection. I look forward to working with you in the spirit ofpartnership set out in the 1999 'White Paper on the Overseas Territories',to promote the good governance and prosperity of the Cayman Islands.The people of the Cayman Islands deserve no less."
The Governor and Baroness Scotland discussed women's issues, becauseof her "manifest enjoyment" of her Women's ResourceCentre visit. "I confirmed that the new Minister of Women'sAffairs, the Hon. Edna Moyle, was equally as focused on thosematters," he said.
Mr. Smith then met Lord Wallace, the Liberal Democratic spokesmanof Foreign Affairs in the House of Lords. "He has a naturalinterest in politics and the constitutionalism of the OverseasTerritories, as befits a Reader in International Relations atthe London School of Economics. We had a marvellous conversation,"the Governor remarked.
Mr. Smith also talked with staff in the Department of Tourismand the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) representative's offices,discussing internal and administrative matters. Following that,he and his wife, Mrs. Suzanne Smith, attended the annual CIG Londonreception.
"It was an absolutely outstanding effort this year,"he said. "There was a good cross-section of people - a numberof European bankers flew in because they know Ms Dilbert fromher work with the Basle Committee and Deutsche Bank in Cayman."
Ms Dilbert also invited to the reception around 20 Caymanian studentswho are pursuing UK education in various disciplines. The effect,the Governor explained, was that the foreign guests spoke withpersons who knew Cayman intimately in diverse spheres.
On the whole, Mr. Smith said the tour was very beneficial in promotingCayman's position on various fronts. He thanked Ms Dilbert andher staff for co-ordinating the trip, which would normally bearranged through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. "Forsuch a short visit, the results far exceeded my expectations,"he said.