Premier seeks CARICOM help with UK dispute

| 02/07/2018 | 19 Comments

CARICOM, Cayman News Service(CNS): The Cayman Islands premier is turning to regional organisation CARICOM for help in its fight with the United Kingdom over what he has termed as the “constitutional overreach” by the British government after it passed legislation imposing public beneficial ownership registers on the overseas territories. Alden McLaughlin and Attorney General Samuel Bulgin are heading to Montego Bay this week to the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community to drum up support after writing to CARICOM Secretary General Erwin LaRocque. 

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, the premier said he had told LaRocque that, as the president of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association’s Political Council, he wanted to bring the situation impacting the territories, which are associate members, to the attention of the CARICOM states and increase the level of engagement.

“I am grateful to Secretary General LaRocque for agreeing that this matter be added to their Caucus agenda and believe that this is an indication that CARICOM also views the matter as important as we do,” he said.

The premier pointed out that the territories view the actions of the UK Parliament to legislate for them in areas of domestic policy, which have been devolved, “as a gross affront to the constitutional relationship we have with the United Kingdom”.

With all of the territory leaders expressing concern about potential further overreach, he said they were “all of one voice that we each need to seek our own individual constitutional safeguards” and that the overseas territories would benefit from CARICOM support because there is strength in numbers.

The issue of the constitutional threat to the territories will be added to an agenda that includes discussions on CARICOM’s single market, approval of a draft declaration on climate change, a report on the legalisation of ganja, security issues, a regional strategy for the development of statistics, and the third United Nations high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases, among other issues.

Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness will chair the meeting and special guests include Sebastian Pinera Echenique, the president of Chile, and Miguel Diaz-Canel, president of Cuba.

McLaughlin and Bulgin will be joined on this trip by Senior Political Advisor Roy Tatum and International Affairs Analyst Jamaal Anderson, who has responsibility for CARICOM in the Cayman Islands Cabinet Office. The group will leave Wednesday and return Saturday.

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Comments (19)

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  1. Bertie :B says:

    It cant hurt to ask for help . We all need help at times .

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    • RICK says:

      Cayman helps no one in Caricom.
      Cayman will never become a full member of Caricom. Within full member states of caricom there is free movement and Cayman will never accept free movement of people.
      Banana Republic will a rotten core

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      • Anonymous says:

        Rick ole boy, you continue to show your ignorance.

        CARICOM is an acronym for Caribbean Communuty of States.

        Do I need to explain any further why the Cayman Islands (Overseas Territory) cannot be a FULL Member of CARICOM.

        Assuming that you will GoogleIt, I give you advance notice that Montserrat is a Full Member – confused yet?

        Now run along and do your homework.

        • RICK says:

          Homework?
          I refer to cayman becoming independent.
          If ever Cayman gets independent, What makes you think they will accept a movement of free flowing Caribbean folk to their island.
          You lot already dislike expats far much for carribean folk.

          • Anonymous says:

            Rick, your comment @ 9:22am above makes NO reference to Cayman becoming independent.

            Again, get your facts lined up before showing your ignorance on these issues and then try to shift your argument once you get called-out.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Fact Check: The Cayman Islands became an Associate Member of CARICOM in 2002.

  3. Say it like it is says:

    We have been paying Associate fees for many years and have nothing to show for it, this will be a waste of time. Maybe Alden can get an update of Caricom’s claim from Britain for reparations for the slave trade, this is a good indicator of how useful this institution is.

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  4. West Bay Premier says:

    This is another poor example of leadership . Mr Premier would sit down and know what they UK was doing , and couldn’t open his mouth then , but knows how to open his mouth now and pay for help to fix it . That is the same thing as knowing that a problem is developing and leaving it until it gets bigger and cause more problems . This one needs to be running the chicken farm , instead of the Islands.

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  5. RICK says:

    Caricom should stay clear away from Cayman.
    Cayman treats it’s caricom neighbours like dirt and think they are better. Cayman looks down on people from Trinidad, Barbados and Jamaica

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  6. Anonymous says:

    The Premier is taking his case to protect the corrupt, the fraudulent and the immoral tax dodgers of the world ….

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Lets hope the dress protocol is understood this time for the hangers on. “Responsibility for CARICOM” how exactly is such obvious low level responsibility justified for such a major trip?

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    • Anonymous says:

      The Cayman Islands Premier is seeking Caricom help???? What the hell is he thinking about???????? Are we that desperate. The reason we are not apart of CARICOM is because we are not independent. Is he now desperate enough to blind the eyes of the Caymanian people towards his intention to go Independent. This is serious business. Please people wake up!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Cayman is an associate member of CARICOM. And I don’t think this means that the Premier is signaling that he wants Cayman to go independent. In fact, he has said quite the opposite. He has made it quite clear that Cayman is not ready at this time for independence.

        He has also made it clear that he is meeting as the president of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association’s Political Council. He was likely asked by the Council to bring the matter to the attention of CARICOM on members behalf.

        Why not? Sharing ideas never hurts. Let us engage as many resources as possible, and bring as many ideas as possible to bear on the matter.

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        • West Bay Premier says:

          Anon 9:31 am , it’s quite obviously you don’t know politicians yet . Have you ever hear politicians say that this is what I am going to do , when I am elected , then when they get elected they do the opposite . Never believe what a politician say , always believe what you see them do .

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        • Anonymous says:

          Do you know what an associate member is? Not a member that’s what.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Indeed Cayman has been an Associate Member of CARICOM for more rhan a decade. Get your facts straight before you mouth off!

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      • West Bay Premier says:

        Anonymous nine a clock am , you’re completely right on the minute about Alden actions . I really thinks that he should be asked publicly . Why he didn’t do anything while the UK was legislating on this issue ? And why he is involving Caricom into to trying to fix the problem . I think he needs a darn good calling out on this matter.

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