Hon Kurt Tibbetts, Leader of Government Business

He also hit back at the Leader of the Opposition, McKeeva Bush’s complaint over the issue of protocol and how much information had been released regarding the arrival of the UK delegation.

In a letter to Mr Tibbetts, Mr Bush said the people of the country had not been properly informed about the visit or what was on the agenda. However Mr Tibbetts described the letter as a virtual call to battle. “Unlike him I don’t need the arena of a battlefield for me to function,” said Mr Tibbetts.

“That is the only arena in which he can perform.” Mr Tibbetts overturned the views Mr Bush expressed in his letter “There is no specific agenda for these meetings,” said the Leader of Government Business. “Once we have completed this first set of meetings, we will have a proposed agenda, and time lines, in relation to discussions in the future.”

Mr Tibbetts made it clear that the process of Constitutional Modernization was at a new starting point. “Initially, the team will be here to restart the process of Constitutional Modernisation Talks, which was abruptly stopped in November 2003,” said Mr Tibbetts He added that there was a Draft Constitution in hand but after several years and changed circumstances that would be merely a starting point.

“Certainly, that won’t be dashed away. But three years have passed since that was done and a lot has changed. Changed circumstances will change the way people think now.” Mr Tibbetts stood firmly against Mr Bush’s claim in his letter that protocol was not followed.

“Professional courtesy and Protocol dictates that you should have written me (or given verbal notice) in sufficient time…” Mr Bush wrote in his letter. In response Mr Tibbetts said the statement showed Mr Bush’s lack of regard for hierarchy and roles and that FCO matters are firmly in the Governor’s remit. “Unlike him, I know my role,” said Mr Tibbetts.

“When he was in office he might have thought that he was also the Governor.” In relation to what Mr Bush described as the short notice in relation to the arrival of the UK delegation Mr Tibbetts said that earlier this year the Governor had advised the Government that the visit would be in March.

He added that he had passed on this information publicly. He said that the Governor only advised Cabinet on Tuesday, 14 March, of the precise date for the visit and therefore, there was only a difference of some hours between the times that the Cabinet and the Opposition knew, respectively.

Mr Tibbetts speculated that the death in the family, which the Governor had recently, probably affected when notice of the visit was given, because the Governor had to be away dealing with personal matters over the couple weeks.

The UK team includes Ian Hendry, Constitutional Review Team Leader; Tony Crombie, Head of the FCO’s Overseas Territories Department; Susan Dickson, Legal Counsellor with the FCO; Michael Bradley, FCO Overseas Territories Constitutional Adviser; and Fiona Rumney, Desk Officer in the Overseas Territories Department.

Mr Tibbetts said the team would meet first with the Governor. “After that, they will have talks with the Government and the Backbenchers,” Mr Tibbetts added.

On Tuesday, the team will meet with the Opposition. A meeting with “a contingent” from the Human Right Committee is also scheduled – and Attorney General, Sam Bulgin, is expected to be part of that meeting. Mr Tibbetts said the team would have two full days of talks before departing on Wednesday.

In relation to Constitutional Talks in the future Mr Tibbetts confirmed that these public meetings would again form part of the process. “We have an inherent responsibility to go back to the public about this,” he declared.