Premier in Samoa for Commonwealth meeting
(CNS): Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly travelled some 6,500 miles this weekend to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2024 in Apia, Samoa, in the South Pacific. Accompanying her is Chief Officer Eric Bush from the planning ministry rather than one of her own chief officers.
They are attending at the invitation of Lord Marland of Odstock, Chair of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC), and Stephen Doughty, the new UK Overseas Territories minister.
Since Deputy Premier André Ebanks is travelling on financial services business, Dwayne Seymour is acting as premier while O’Connor-Connolly is away.
Officials claimed that the invitation to the premier “underscores Cayman’s growing influence within the Commonwealth and its Overseas Territories.” According to a press release, the leader of these islands is attending the global conference to represent not just this country but all of the UKOTs at some of the events.
The release said that O’Connor-Connolly will participate in sessions including “Reducing Barriers to Trade” and the “Island Nations Leaders Roundtable” as the Premier of the Cayman Islands, focusing on strategies for economic cooperation among small island states. In her role as president of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA), she will represent UKOTA at the “VVIP CWEIC and Sustainable Markets Initiative CEO-Leaders” event.
This gathering will be attended by Charles III and Queen Camilla. Officials said it provides “an unparalleled opportunity to explore sustainable market initiatives and strengthen global partnerships to promote economic resilience”.
“As the Cayman Islands takes its place among Commonwealth nations at CHOGM, I am deeply honoured to bring our voice to these critical discussions on trade, sustainability, and resilience,” the premier said. “By engaging in sessions focused on reducing barriers to trade and collaborating with fellow island leaders, we stand ready to champion the needs of small territories. Our participation reaffirms our unwavering commitment to building pathways to prosperity and stability for Caymanians.”
Chief Officer Eric Bush, who received a direct invitation from Lord Marland to attend CHOGM, said that engaging in discussions on resilient infrastructure allows them to address the unique challenges faced by small island states and opens doors for networking on a global scale.
“By participating in these high-level exchanges, we position the Cayman Islands as a key player in sustainable development, unlocking opportunities for future partnerships that will benefit our communities and enhance Cayman’s international profile,” Bush added.
Governor Jane Owen said it was “significant that Cayman has been invited” by the UKOT minister to represent the OTs.
She said that as the current UKOTA president, O’Connor-Connolly “would represent the voice of the OT family at CHOGM 2024, as the gathering addresses critical global challenges, from economic cooperation to sustainability.”
Owen added, “This is a tremendous opportunity to showcase Cayman’s innovative spirit and dedication to building a resilient and prosperous future for all our citizens. I am confident that our participation will strengthen our partnerships across the Commonwealth, which is home to 2.7 billion people, and further elevate Cayman’s standing on the global stage.”
Anne Kensington-Lott and Darrel Rankine from the planning minister will also be on the trip to provide communication and strategic support during the event. Other delegates include CARICOM Youth Ambassador Vanessa Burke, who will attend both the Youth and Women’s sessions.
CHOGM 2024, themed “One Resilient Common Future: Transforming our Common Wealth”, emphasizes shared goals for sustainable development.
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Category: Politics
The Premier looks quite at home over there. If Samoa can supply the NFL with players, there is no reason why the Cayman Islands Government shouldn’t commission an array of studies to determine if a similar result can’t be achieved in Cayman Brac. And before that even happens, a stadium and NFL certified field must be built on the Bluff.
I think she’s going to ask the King and Starmer for reparations. Thats obviously how she’s going to pay for her drunken sailor spending spree. Clever girl.
Perhaps while they are in Apia they could check out the Chinese built skyscrapers which are falling down because of such poor materials and construction methods but which the Samoan Gov is in hock to China for….just in case they’re tempted to bring China in to Cayman as Mac wanted to do some years back.
Beware of Chinese bearing gifts…they’ve not given up on Cayman , and all this port referendum charade is to pave the way for Mac and MiniMac to bring back CHEC in response to “The people’s wishes”.
What will she wear??
Will she be able to cope with the Samoan social acceptance of Fa’afafine. 😁
I am guessing she will consider Fa’afafine to be an abomination before the Lord.
Upholstery..lots and lots of it.
Some sort of drapery fabric I imagine.
One of the most simultaneously terrifying and ridiculous sentences I have ever read:
Since Deputy Premier André Ebanks is travelling on financial services business, Dwayne Seymour is acting as premier while O’Connor-Connolly is away.
Oh…my…word.
And also – HE’s quote is insane. Innovation in Planning and Development when we have 1/2 of Seven Mile Beach disappearing???
I really just can’t.
The release is just embarrasing.
“Unique challenges.”..”unlocking opportunities”..”unwavering commitment to building pathways”..” providing strategic support”….and the garbage goes on with boilerplate phrases plucked from a civil-servant speak phrase-Book.
A word to whoever wrote that garbage….you left out “Paradigm”, no civil servant word salad can be taken seriously unless it includes “paradigm”.
Deliciously, perfectly, merrily said.
4:54. rubbish. paradigm died 15 years ago.
sad when you have the time to offer criticism on a press release. oh it’s 4:54 you obviously work(play) for the private sector and is already at home.
“Dwayne is acting Premier”? Surely that is a typo?!
No, not a typo, a nightmare.
One day someone will invent a way which will enable people to speak to one another in different countries and see each other on a screen. Think of the money that will save the taxpayers of these countries, not to mention the reduction in the carbon footprint.
11.47, let’s hope that happens one day, but it will never be used unless it comes with First class comforts and 5 star all inclusive free ride paid out of the public purse.
How will our representatives explain how our CPA board constantly favor the developers over the environment? Will they tell them how advanced Cayman is and the huge building boom we have going on? Will Ju-Ju & Eric dress up in the grass skirts and do a little dance?
Grass skirts and long dance should be compulsory…
There might’ve be a shortage of unsee serum at the moment we see JuJu in a grass skirt dancing at the sound of the drum me thinks!
AHH! My eyes!!!!!!!!
Whatever.
Add this to the ever-growing list of activities that benefit no one who works for a living.
Wasting money again???? Cayman Brac please vote her out
Never going to happen 8:42. They’re, erm, different up there.
Eric Bush attending, oh my word….
They have expensive red wines in Samoa..?
No 9:21 but he could try the kava cup though it’s a bit too plebeian for him.
And a Ritz Carlton to be built?
practicing for his next gig!
UK News.. “The Conservatives’ largest ever donor, Frank Hester, has dominated British political news for the past week. And rightly so.”
“Hester, among other appalling racist and misogynistic comments, reportedly said in a 2019 meeting that looking at Britain’s first female Black MP, Diane Abbott, made “you just want to hate all Black women”..
And: as printed in Goodlawproject.uk — in relation to extreme racism and influence peddling…
“Lord Marland was one of the first to jump to Frank Hester’s defence in the immediate fallout of the Guardian’s shocking revelations about his racist comments.
On Wednesday, the Tory peer claimed in an LBC interview that his Party’s largest ever donor, “is not a racist” because “he does a lot of business in Jamaica, he does business in Malaysia, in Bangladesh and places like that”.,,”
The future Deputy Governor – wannabe 🙂
Eric is proof that you do not need a formal education or qualifications to be over promoted in Franz’s army if you are a Freemason.
Fired from Cayman Airways as HR manager, fired from RCIPS for lying about qualifications. A civil service career littered with scandals documented in multiple AG reports yet is viewed as Manderson’s boy for the top job.
CAYMAN is NOT a REAL place
But he’s tall and likes red wine, and not the cheap stuff.
Poor Eric doesn’t realize his expensive red wine buddies will dump him when he’s no longer useful.
Jon Jon premier, what a mess these Islands has become.
Just wasting our hard earned $$’s. So sad.
She can stay there.
Keep him too.
Maybe she gone to wash some feet there too!
Share the full list of CI Delegates…
And full details of their flight and accommodation costs which WE paid for.
On the road again, I can’t wait to get on the road again…
I think Samoa is pretty much up towards the top of the Global Obesity league table.
And Jon Jon acting Premier. You can’t make it up, but don’t stop the carnival.
Will anyone be sharing rooms this time (to save the country money, of course). I understand this may have been a practice in the past.
Generally speaking, they pay for two rooms, even if they only end up using one.
No. We pay for two.
Back in the days we used to call this a jolly……
It’s still called a jolly
It’s now called Jollyana.