MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK opens consultation period on new strategy for Overseas Territories

Minister for the Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham invites citizens to write to the FOC

The Foreign Office has launched a consultation on a new strategy for the Overseas Territories and is inviting views from people of those Territories and the UK on how to implement the goals.

The strategy aims to strengthen the engagement and interaction between the UK and the Territories; work with Territories to strengthen good governance arrangements, public financial management and economic planning where this is necessary; and improve the quality and range of support available to the Territories.

Comments and responses can be made online, through email or by post. These will help inform the strategy as the Government prepares for the publication of a new White Paper in 2012, which will set out in detail this Government’s approach to the Overseas Territories. The consultation runs until 31 December 2011.

Speaking before the launch of the consultation, Minister for the Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham said:

“Since we came to Office in May 2010, this Government has worked hard to re-invigorate the UK’s relationship with the Overseas Territories. This consultation is an important part of that approach as we move toward a new White Paper on the Overseas Territories next year.

“There are many people and groups who have an interest in the future of the Overseas Territories and can provide us with insight into how to develop the UK’s relationship with them. I look forward to receiving their ideas.”

The UK Government’s overall vision is for the Overseas Territories “to be vibrant and flourishing communities, proudly retaining aspects of their British identity and generating wider opportunities for their people”.

To take part in the consultation: online by leaving a public comment on this site under any or all of the questions (comments will be checked against the FCO moderation policy before publication); by private email or by post to the Foreign Office in London
Comments will be accepted until 31 December 2011; the website will remain available for reference until 1 July 2012.

The 14 OT include: Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands; St Helena and St Helena Dependencies (Ascension and Tristan da Cunha); South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands; Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia; The Turks & Caicos Islands