The Cabinet Office provided a further update on the travel to London by the Premier, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley for the UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (UK OT JMC) on European Negotiations.
The public will recall that Bermuda was recently elected as Chair of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA).
Part of Bermuda’s role is to represent OT’s by leading and engaging in high level discussions regarding Brexit’s potential effect on the territories.
The UKOT-JMC European Negotiations will be chaired by Baroness Anelay, Minister for the Overseas Territories and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Robin Walker for the Overseas Territories (within the Department for Exiting the European Union).
During the very busy visit to London the Premier is joined by in the Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Bob Richards and the Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr. Derrick Binns. The London Office had facilitated the visit which includes a series of meetings.
The Premier will meet with Baroness Anelay to formally request Bermuda’s participation in the UN Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, commonly known as CEDAW.
Premier Dunkley and the Government of Bermuda are keen to ensure that Bermuda has the Convention extended to us as the Government has made "good progress" with CEDAW, with extensive work being completed on a series of thirteen (13) CEDAW compliance templates provided by the UK Government Equalities Office.
The compliance templates include: nationality; rural women; trafficking and exploitation; health; education; employment; discrimination; governance; migrant women; family life; political and public life; civil legal matters; and criminal legal matters.
Additional engagements include a Courtesy Visit of all the OT Leaders with British Prime Minister, Theresa May and the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, David Davis MP.
The Premier will also meet with the Minister of State for Security, Ben Wallace, MP, to address the Amendments under the Criminal Finance Bill drafted by the Labour Opposition to impose public central registers within the Overseas Territories through an Order in Council.
In addition the Premier will meet with representatives of the Chinese Embassy based in the UK. The public will recall that the Chinese Ambassador was recently in Bermuda to discuss a range of matters with the Government and business leaders. While in the UK these opportunities will continue to be progressed.
The Premier returns to Bermuda on Thursday.