Premier to ride in St Tropez bike race

| 18/04/2019 | 43 Comments
Cayman News Service

Alden McLaughlin (courtesy of Cayman Life TV)

(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin will be mixing business with pleasure next week during a trip to Europe, where he will meet with UK officials in London and maritime experts in Monaco. He will also be taking part, alongside Prince Albert and other celebrities, in the 8th annual Champagne and Oysters Cycling Club (COCC) St Tropez to Monaco charity bike ride, according to a press release from his office. McLaughlin will first travel to London for talks with the UK government on constitutional reform, the Foreign Affairs Committee report on the overseas territories and beneficial ownership registers.

After London he will head to the South of France for meetings with key stakeholders in the Super Yacht sector and to compete in the charity race.

In the UK the premier is set to meet with Ben Wallace, Minister of State for Security in the Home Office, and Ben Merrick, Director of Overseas Territories at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to discuss the position of the Cayman government that the jurisdiction has always complied with global standards of financial regulation, and that if public registers became a global standard, then the Cayman Islands would be on board.  

“In the interim, we are of the view that our current system for handling beneficial ownership, whilst not public, allows timely and ready access to UK and international law enforcement and tax agencies,” the premier’s office said in a press release.

During the London stop he will also host a dinner with cross-party parliamentarians as part of the government’s ongoing political engagement programme.

“Continued engagement with MPs and Peers is essential for the Cayman Islands to build and maintain relationships and for them to hear directly what’s happening in our islands,” he said. 

The premier will then head to Monaco, accompanied by Eric Bush, the chief officer in the new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs; Joel Walton, CEO of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI); and Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier.

“The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry is known globally as a premium maritime flag state and is home to most of the biggest yachts in the world,” he said. “The Registry has been rated as one of the best in the world in the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Flag State Performance Table for 2018/19 for the 8th year running.

“The meetings in Monaco are a continuation of efforts started by me last year and as part of our new focus on not only maintaining but growing the Cayman Islands Shipping Register under the newly created Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation Maritime Affairs,” the premier added.

MACI has had a presence in Monaco for over two decades, where the majority of super yachts docked in the harbour are flying the red ensign of the Cayman Islands.

“Monaco, with its wealth of financial services and international high net worth individuals, is a natural fit for the Cayman Islands and its shipping Registry,” Walton said. “It’s an extremely important market for us.”

Chief Officer Bush, who is currently Cayman’s representative in London, said the aim of the meetings was to build a partnership between the Cayman Islands and Monaco.

“They also provide an opportunity for us not only to support causes with a synergy to the Cayman Islands but explore opportunities for further cooperation and collaboration,” he added.

While in Monaco, the premier will meet with the first minister there and use the opportunity to promote the Cayman Islands.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Tags: ,

Category: Business, Financial Services, Shipping

Comments (43)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Overspending says:

    CNS,
    If possible can you find out what hotel they are staying at in London (pretty sure it’s the Conrad at £500 per night) ?
    What hotel in Monocco (bet its not the novetel but the Monte Carlo at £600 per night).
    Are they going to have a private driver as per usual?

    I do agree on these sorts of trips but do they need to always stay in 5 star hotels?

    I have money on it that the total cost will be in the range of $50,000.

    11
    1
  2. Anonymous says:

    Hands up who would like to fly to Monaco all expenses paid to enter a cycle race and while you are there have a little chat with officials? Me me me me me me me

    26
    5
  3. Anonymous says:

    To be a fly on the wall to these ‘meetings’, ‘promotion of Cayman’ and hosting a dinner?! One (and I’m sure many!) questions how the premier truly represents these islands for the betterment of the people when he is practically absent for so much that is really happening here? I guess supporting Dart to build this iconic tower would suit the premier as he would continue to sit up high and look down upon the people as less than!
    #anotherwasteofmoney #noleadership #govtpaidvacation

    21
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      We need Mr Dart and any development he wants to do is fantastic. One the tower is built government should mover there also. Unity team is the best government Cayman ever had!

      6
      21
      • Anonymous says:

        @ 7:50 ….. It is my belief, Sir, that you are feeble-minded, or a troll.

        19
        2
        • Anonymous says:

          Why dont you leave this person alone. You are upset because of their support for a well meaning government and the islands progressive developer. Shame on you.

          2
          13
  4. Anonymous says:

    so embarrassing

    19
    5
  5. Anonymous says:

    Alden, while there please meet with Monaco’s planning officials and discuss their building height restrictions and see the benefits of not needing building a 30-storey skyline to portray a luxury destination!!!

    37
    2
  6. Anonymous says:

    He has been getting a blizzard and mackeeva turtle build…over the years….good for him

    5
    2
  7. Anonymous says:

    Premier looking real cute in all that spandex 😉

    11
    4
  8. Anonymous says:

    He is going to do the Bike Ride, and since he will be there, he will conduct some business on our behalf. Good example of a good employee. Lead by example.
    Alden is my Premier,
    (until next time, then whoever next I jump ship.)
    Happy and safe Easter weekend everyone. CaymanKind.

    7
    28
  9. John says:

    Wouldn’t be safe to ride in Grand Cayman.

    38
    1
  10. Fiona says:

    Yup. No problems on the home front at all. :/

    30
    5
  11. Anonymous says:

    COCC. Slightly misspelt but sounds right.

    21
    3
  12. Junior says:

    Obviously too dangerous to enter a cayman one eh? Try jogging too why don’t you mr Mac ?

    34
    9
  13. Void says:

    Setting the perfect example for the solution to traffic: Go dey Alden.

    Safe cycling lanes result in less health issues, less emissions and less traffic.

    Put a spare tire in a saddle bag or your backpack if you’re worried about a flat. It’s easy to change a tire in the rare event, just like a car.

    26
    3
  14. Hard Rock says:

    Yes Cayman another FREE ride at the tax payers expense no doubt!!! Will he be taking his waterboy and team mascot Bababushka!

    63
    24
  15. Anonymous says:

    Eric!

    Yeah Bosseh.

    You feel like going Monaco or wha?

    Yes Bro, leh we go.

    54
    8
    • Anonymous says:

      😂😂😂 dwl

      14
      2
    • Cayman Lodge 8153 says:

      Eric Bush is another hand picked up puppet unqualified for any position he has held over the last 12 years. The brotherhood looks out for it own right Mr. Manderson?

      7
      1
  16. Anonymous says:

    I am not sure that any of what the Premier is doing is actually “pleasure” he is working.

    30
    47
  17. Anonymous says:

    livin la vida loca

    31
    5
  18. Captain Hook says:

    Maybe Mr Bush can synergise our relationship by having some of these mega yachts actually visit Cayman. Perhaps he can offer them free supplies of mosquito repellent as an incentive.

    31
    8
  19. Cess Pita says:

    Is Mr Bush intimating that after more than two decades of well attended jollies, sipping champagne with the Monaco elite, that we have yet to build a partnership with Monaco. Either they don’t like us or we drank too much champagne.

    52
    7
  20. Anonymous says:

    Quick while he is gone someone put the Standards in Public Life law into effect along with the District advisory councils

    58
    4
  21. Boom Shakalaka says:

    What came first. Bike race or meetings with government officials. 🙂

    38
    8
    • Anonymous says:

      Stop your negativity. Quite frankly, I like having a fit premier. Further, the ride is a charity ride that supports water safety and learn to swim programs. This is something that Caymanians should fully back, as the safety of our children (not to mention the joy of sea activities), might depend on such.

      23
      20
      • Anonymous says:

        We have the greatest Premier plus this trip he is on will add to our great tourism product. Bless you Mr. Premier and please stay our premier for 12 more years!

        6
        28
      • What part of him is fit?? says:

        Seriously?? What part of him do you see as being “fit”?? Ya’ll need to raise your expectations a bit. The man is just like every other member of our LA…OVERWEIGHT!!

        4
        2
      • SSM345 says:

        9:01, I am curious to know if our Govt supports/sponsors any local “water safety and learn to swim programs”? Can you confirm? If not, its a bit strange that he and others would travel halfway across the world at considerable expense to the public to show support for such programs in other jurisdiction(s) that have no benefit to our islands whatsoever don’t you think?

        • Anonymous says:

          Put the Government travel funds towards a 50 meter Pool. Government has only been talking about it for 25+ years now. All their “trips” in the last 25 years could have well paid for it by now. And you wonder why our youth are failing………….

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.