MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Governor Huckle attends OT Council in London

Falkland Islands Governor Mr Alan Huckle is departing Saturday November 18 to attend the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) in London on 21-22 November.

The OTCC is an annual meeting, which allows UK Ministers and Chief Ministers (and equivalents) of the UK Overseas Territories to discuss matters of mutual concern.

UK Ministers, Lord Triesman (FCO), the Rt Hon Hilary Benn (Secretary of State for International Development), and the Rt Hon Baroness Patricia Scotland (Home Office), are due to participate at various points of the agenda, as are Sir Peter Ricketts (PUS, FCO) and Sir Nicholas Stern (author of the Stern Review on the economics of climate change).

Councillors Mike Summers and Andrea Clausen will represent the Falkland Islands (and have a short, separate meeting with Lord Triesman on bilateral matters).

Prior to the event Lord Triesman said: 'I am looking forward to my second OTCC. The annual Council meeting provides an excellent forum for consultation with leaders of the Territories' governments.

'The Overseas Territories are important to Britain and are a significant part of our national and international identity. The 1999 White Paper was appropriately called 'Partnership for Progress and Prosperity'. It is a partnership - and I look forward to working closely with the leaders of the Territories governments, not just over the next two days but also in the longer term.

The agenda will cover many important subjects. I am sure we will have a lively, and fruitful, discussion.'

This year discussion will cover the UK-OT relationship, transport issues, good governance, human rights, criminal justice strategy, climate change and combating international corruption.

The Rt Hon Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development will speak to the Chief Ministers about the Government's Action Plan on combating overseas corruption. Baroness Scotland, Minister of State at the Home Office, will present an overview of the UK's criminal justice strategy and Sir Nicholas Stern will give a presentation about climate change which is a real threat to all but with particular implications for small islands such as the Overseas Territories.

Governors have, on this occasion, been invited to attend some sessions of this year's meeting. Governor Huckle will also take the opportunity to have meetings with officials in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and with other Governors.

Gov. Huckle returns on Saturday, 25 November but will leave, with his wife Helen, on Sunday, 26 November on HMS Endurance for a 2 day visit to the West Falklands and outlying islands, utilising the ship's helicopter, so that both can visit members of the community there and learn about issues affecting life in Camp.

The Governor and Mrs Huckle return to Stanley at noon on Tuesday, 28 November.

The Overseas Territories are: Anguilla, British Antarctic Territory, Bermuda, British Indian Ocean Territory, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St Helena and Dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha), Turk and Caicos Islands, Pitcairn Island, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, Sovereign Base Areas on Cyprus.