FCO reverts to traditional diplomat for governor
Martyn Roper, the new Governor of the Cayman Islands
(CNS): Martyn Keith Roper (53) has been appointed as the Cayman Islands’ next governor after the controversial removal of Anwar Choudhury. However, CNS understands that the formal open recruitment process for the post is ongoing and Roper, who is expected to arrive on island later this month to take up office, will remain until this is completed. The new UK representative was described as a highly experienced career diplomat with a successful track record in senior corporate leadership roles across the world, in a press release from the Governor’s office Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire his last FCO post was in Beijing, China.
Roper’s arrival comes at a time when the relationship with the UK is under strain. In its submissions to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, which is reviewing the relationship between the UK and the British Overseas Territories, the Cayman Islands Government requested more input into the selection of governors.
“The role of the Governor within the Cayman Islands has also not sufficiently evolved to match our democratic maturity and we are still too far removed from both the appointment process and from the FCO/Governor relationship to establish whether or not domestic and external areas for which the FCO is responsible are being looked after comprehensively enough to support all of our government requirements and obligations,” the CIG stated.
Cayman officials have said they would like to move to the process followed to appoint the Australian state governor, where the Crown directly appoints the governor instead of the FCO, and should be subject to veto by the Cayman government.
The CIG had no say in the selection of Roper but he appears to have considerable relevant experience. His earlier career includes postings to Algeria as the British ambassador, deputy head of mission in Brasilia and as first secretary economics and development with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, experience which is likely to be welcomed by the offshore industry.
He was also head of the Gibraltar Section at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London, when he had specific responsibility for policy concerning law and order, justice and good governance. Roper also spent time at the United Nations in the early part of the 1990’s, where he was on the Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24), giving him some overseas territory experience. The career diplomat has also served in some challenging postings, including his job as vice consul in Kuwait at the time of the outbreak of the first Gulf War.
Roper will hold the post until the full recruitment process is completed but CNS understands he may also be one of the candidates. Since the unexpected departure of Anwar Choudhury following undisclosed complaints last June, the post of governor has been held by the Deputy Governor Franz Manderson. But after it was announced that the inquiry into the allegations against Choudhury were complete and he would not be coming back, the FCO said that an interim governor would be appointed until the full recruitment process was completed.
Married to Elisabeth with two adult children, Roper was described in the press release as a keen cyclist a sport he shares with the Cayman Islands premier Alden McLaughlin.
Category: Local News
8 28 get a grip. They only said Kuwait. The other middle east places you mention are NOT listed on CNS.
Read it again.
CNS mention nothing about Bagdad which is war torn in Iraq nor Tehran which is in Iran a sworn enemy of our friend Saudi Arabia.
@8:20 read his biography.
From his biography.
June 1986 – Dec 1993 Tehran, Maputo, Kuwait/Baghdad, Karachi
July 1984 – June 1986 Middle East Department, FCO (Saudi Arabia, Oman, Yemen)
We don’t need more token figureheads, we need less government. The one we have is a blooming mess, deceptively arrayed like a pure lily, yet daily blossoming into a rotting, decaying morass of filth.
It is led by the advocates of darkness, Pied Pipers of Hamelin playing their globalist tune of deception whilst leading the gullible masses to their destruction.
Not everyone is blind.
Foolish, foolish people, when will you wake up? Perhaps you will come to your senses when the jackboot of the neo-Nazi, hyper-socialist New World Order is firmly planted across your throats?
These islands are the only place in the world where the innocent children of the ironshore, nurtured by the Eastern breeze and the Caribbean Sea had the right to call themselves Caymanian.
What did they do with their birthright?
We all know the sorry tale, they sold it for less than a bowl of pottage.
They even brought foreign traitors in, gave them citizenship and let them feed on the choice pieces of their heritage.
Their corrupt system of government was always destined to fail with their fake leaders pretending to worship God in church on Sundays whilst bowing to Lucifer in the lodge on Thursdays.
Whilst these things are not openly spoken of in public, they are common knowledge especially among the mature Caymanians who have witnessed the rapid demise of their nation over the last fifty years.
Brothers and sisters of these hallowed isles, although I am one of you by papers of adoption only, may the Good Lord bestow upon us a final chance such as He gave to Samson when the Philistines mocked him.
Says who? What is your claim to fame, and
what are you on these days, to be so self righteous?
Sorry to come across as such.
It was not my intention.
On rereading, I accept your criticism.
Sincerely.
No David, don’t apologize to trolls!
It wasn’t even constructive criticism anyway!
I appreciate your post, as did others, hence the thumbs up and I agree with your sentiments.
When I don’t agree with someone I leave a comment which entails constructive criticism not just noise; after-all empty barrels make the most noise!
Wow! An excellent piece. I do not believe even the mind of Adolph Hitler could conjure up such a brilliant response to contemporary Cayman. Please run for office so we can put all these dritwood in a gas chamber and give them what they really deserve. In fact, if you reveal your name I pledge to nominate you by petition as the next governor of these fair islands.
As an advocate of darkness, I totally agreed with this sane, rational person. Now pass me my fiddle, for I must play my tune of deception.
Haha!
This is true that is why they hate it. Believe in yourself…if you know who you truly are that is.
Dear Mr Roper
Welcome. Do not trust the politicians. Do not trust the senior civil servants and management of Govt Authorities. Do not trust the dynastic families. Speak to lots of local people, and trust your training and instincts.
Love
Cayman
And remember best assume they have no allegiance to the nation, only to the territory.
Not even that, how many have property not in the territory? Many have real estate not in Cayman or even the Caribbean. When things turn bad, they will not care for a square foot of Cayman or any territory in the vicinity. Beware of the fake patriotism.
Dear Mr Roper, beware the territorials are getting quite above their station especially in their efforts to prop up their tax haven business. Put the nation first and don’t trust the local politicians.
Dear Caymanian Hater & Snob,
Put yourself first and return to the UK where you can trust your politicians. Because you can trust them, right?
Looking forward to meeting the new Governor George, and his wife Mildred.
Fit for Purpose!
From past experience ropers are good at cleaning up messes.
Also from past experience, you can’t trust anyone who adds a “y” to their name .
so don’t trust his parents?
Trust no-one. Reduces disappointment.
Damn! I always wondered about the “Y”, I even asked “why”? Thank you, now I know it was my parents fault.
Y?
He’s only temporary at the moment and might be replaced. He actually seems a little overqualified. He may just be holding the fort until FCO finds another black dude. It would be the smart move. Mst of the independence ranting and raving on this site is racial.
Overqualified? He’s a fifth rate mid-ranking FCO office-hopper with a bunch of trumped up previous job titles. “I was head of the environmental resources unit at the overseas territories directorate’s sub-unit for reserved areas zzzzzzzzz”. He’s nobody. Send us a vice-admiral or a KCMG and I’ll bow.
The UK is into tokenism big time at the moment.
It’s about time we regain some order. The country is running like a joke. Good luck Mr. Roper
8 :06 pm , but if you asked those politicians , they would tell you that the country is running like well oiled machine .
Ron the hard truth is that we have the best run Government and Civil Service in the entire Caribbean. Wake up Ron!!
Talk about being damned by faint praise!
In the Caribbean.. not good enough. To which nation should we make that comparrison. Haiti or Jamaica
Anonymous 7 :18pm , how can you say that when you probably haven’t been of Grand Cayman to see anything else off what other governments are doing and running their Country . Don’t worry I am awake and see what is going on , and don’t believe in one person and one party like you do .
“Traditional diplomat” translation being white male?
Anonymous 7: 36 pm , so then Mr Choudhury would be an untraditional Diplomat . That’s why everyone had such a good impression of him, because he is a untraditional Diplomat . So if the government want to have anything to with the appointment of the Governor , they should just be able to ask for a untraditional Diplomat Governor .
At that level of the service most of the best qualified are white and male. So what? The ones that tick diversity boxes can be used for postings to real countries.
Still can’t figure what you all think Anwar did but talk and talk. How easily you can be influenced.
Welcome Roper to paradise.
I wonder if this one at least is teetotal.
Let’s pray not. What fun would that be?
Might stick around longer than Anwar if he is. Also, Martyn, no massage requests at home from the staff!
Can we trust him?
I will trust him more than the acting we have now.
11:30. Crabbing season is over.
Thank you acting Governor you have made us all proud.
Speak for yourself, fool; ’bout proud!
PLEASE.
1:44pm and he is a cyclist also. So he can cycle to visit all of the districts in Grand cayman and visit the people door-to-door. Let us see what will happen. Maybe he will be afraid to do that because Mr. Chodoury did that and that possibly were Mr. Chodury biggest mistake. Stepped on the toes of the politicians that formed the 2017 government.
I wish Mr. Roper all the best in his new Appointment , and hope that he can put his foot down and say who he is . And that he can keep his own personal Secretary / bodyguard with him at all times during work and social hours . But how I am reading that the Cayman Islands government wants to have too much say in the Governor’s appointments process , sounds like he would be getting a drunk and falling down in the Governor’s House complaints about him within a short time . I hope that everyone watches that .
Ron I can’t wait for you to come home. You can get elected in West Bay where most of your friends and family are from. You have become such a wonderful debator, writer, environmentalist and experienced Stingray city operator. So when could you come? I hope before the next election. It would be wonderful to see you dressed up in a suit battling to save the reefs and stopping drug abuse by offering many new ideas of employment. Maybe increase the minimum wage to CI$10 per hour? Did you think that would be a good idea.
Yours for the future
Anonymous 11 : 44 am , thank you for the kind words in your comment , but my retirement benefits wouldn’t allow to make the money that I would have to be paid for that job . But I believe that you have seen enough about me , that should’ve inspired you to be like me . You can do it . Who are you ?
Anonymous 11 : 44 am , I believe that you has been following and know me long enough to be inspired , and can do about everything you have suggested . You even did the campaign slogan “Yours for the future” .
Dear god
Finish the prayer, please! Fell asleep while praying??
Minimum wage is a stupid idea. Increasing minimum wage is even worse! The more you increase the minimum wage, the more the cost of goods and services will increase. Why? Because the merchants are not going to cut into their profit margin. They will just pass the costs into the consumer. Then you have to increase the minimum wage again because those same people still can’t afford things since the price just went up to pay for their lazy/stupid behinds. It is simple economics.
Minimum wage jobs aren’t meant to be full time/permanent. They are for entry level/unskilled/students/teenagers/ and unfortunately the low skilled imported labor.
Yup.. you know the Politics of the business…you are right.
A fantastic choice….no more trial and error.
3:14. Anwar did what? He was here for 2 mths. You dont know any facts.
Leave Anwar alone and lets support Roper.
Welcome Roper.
Thank you Manderson for holding the Fort.
So many drunk drivers on the road day and night sadly probably become road kill.
Alan Scott also had a bicycle .
And so did Dunken Taylor, OC and Alden riding partner. I guess Day Breakers Cycling group of which OC Alden, Eddie Powell and others will be latching on with the new. Betcha OC and Alden will be sweetning up that suga stick for H.E. Ross in the early morning rides on how to fill out the weekly twist of political action for OC’s show, For the Record each week. May 2021 can’t come soon enough
Maybe we will see O.C. , Alden et al biking it to East End soon? LOL.
3:14pm he caught on to too much too fast. He was down to earth and the elites didn’t like that. The cocktail parties were sooo different. He had the wrong pigmentation and his staff couldn’t cope with that.
Past experience with the UN Decolonisation Committee
That is noted!!
hope he gets stuck into the mismanagement and incompetence of the civil service….
Looks like it took him three years to sort out the conflict at the FCO- I hope he can help us sort them out again!
2:30. Really!! Stop being jealous of our much improved civil service.
I just applied and paid for my police record online. 1 day process wow!
Why does it take a day to do 2 minutes work?
Was always a one day process.
They have finally entered the 21st century and allow people to pay online.
Now if only they become organised so that I can go to any cashier to pay for any government service.
Maybe he might bog in all the uncollected garbage on the roads and byways!
Welcome to the Cayman Islands Mr Roper.
The jamaican one or this new colonial overseer?
in roper i trust
Bring him on right now. Continuity is important.
All right people, you know the drill. Alden, get the farm basket. Arden, keep sulking and don’t come to the welcome events. Mac, practise your rudeness. Buy some blanks for the invisible gun salute. Somebody get the folk dancers and somebody else get something involving a cassava. Job done.
You forgot to tell Austin to bring the Kool-Aid and Moses to bring a model of a mega cruise ship docked at the new cruise berthing. We really need Helen back with her good head with numbers and her staying hand on the finances!
Ju Ju need to wash his feet too.
dat is reel autentic culture.
Anyone notice something curious here? ‘His last FCO post was in Beijing, China,’ and who is one of the potential bidders for the cruise dock? CHEC! Brace yourselves because like it or not this is a fit up.
That’s a daft assertion. Dude’s not Chinese. He’s served Britain in China. If it’s a “fit up” it’s just as likely that his experience in China will be used to help him push back on Chinese investment as welcome it.
Here we go again, the Premier is elated he won’t have to ride with O.C., all the time, and poor ole Mac must be spitting marbles! He has a pleasant looking face, I hope we can all work together for the good of our Beloved Homeland of ” soft fresh breezes”
So he must be familiar with Chinese Corruption.
Well it’s so bad endemic in Cayman calling it out is “treachery” according to the Premier.
Good observation…
We’ll see how long this one will last, guessing by some of his previous postings and duties? Not very long. I’m sure he will be here a while and start stirring the pot a little too much and then some trumped up charge will miraculously appear.
Good luck to you Sir, at least you’ve been stationed in Baghdad, Kuwait and Tehran so you are used to hostile environments.
1 38….They did not say Bagdad nor Tehran. They did say Kuwait. The other places all seemed sane. Get your facts straight. He will do fine. Stop the scare tactics because The UK sends Govs and they come and go. What is the big deal.
@8:26 My facts are straight, learn to use the web sometime and expand your range of websites visited. BTW when I said he would last long is because from what I have gathered he just may know a thing or two about handling Chinese corruption and that may or may not sit well with our current CIG.
CNS: There’s no need to copy his whole biography here (I deleted it). It’s in the CNS Library.
Well this one won’t be hanging out at Wellys or other local places eating scotch bonnets.
I bet the socialites from the past governor are partying hard now, big parties back at government House for them.
Rightfully so!