MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Long agenda addressed at OTCC meeting in London

Corruption, good governance, criminal justice, climate change and human rights were among the several issues addressed by the Overseas Territories Consultative Council, OTCC, which this week met in London at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Premiers, Chief Ministers and equivalent senior politicians from Britain's Overseas Territories, except Gibraltar, attended. The Council is held annually in London and provides a forum for consultation with British Government Ministers.

Governor Alan Huckle and elected Councilors Andrea Clausen and Mike Summers represented the Falkland Islands at the meeting.

Lord Triesman, Overseas Territories Minister, hosted the eighth meeting of OTCC underlined the significance of this year's event.

"This was my second OTCC and I was delighted, but not surprised, that our discussions were so productive. I was especially pleased that my Ministerial colleague Bill Rammell was able to announce on the first day of the meeting that citizens from the Overseas Territories will benefit from next year from the home student fee rate at English universities. This is something that the Territories have long been pressing for: I would like to pay tribute to the determination they have brought to this issue which has been instrumental in bringing about this result", said Lord Triesman.

"Our meeting this year included presentations from Hilary Benn, Baroness Patricia Scotland and Sir Nicholas Stern. Their presentations on international corruption, criminal justice and climate change struck a chord with us all".

The UK and the Overseas Territories represented at the OTCC agreed the following: that the UN Convention Against Corruption would be extended to the Overseas Territories at the earliest opportunity. The British Virgin Islands had already agreed to this and all the other territories had signified their agreement in principle; to take note of a document which sets out the principles of Good Governance; to work together towards the implementation of a strategy for each of the Territories which would integrate the work of all those involved in the criminal justice system.

The FCO announced that it would consider funding projects to take forward immediate priorities which would be of benefit across agencies and across territories.

To carry out reviews of Disaster Preparedness as part of a rolling programme.

OTCC also welcomed the planned programme of assistance to support the development of Human Rights initiatives in the Territories.

The territories represented at the OTCC were: Anguilla, Ascension Island, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn, St Helena, Turks and Caicos Islands.