Government of Bermuda
During the second half of April, 2017, the Premier of Bermuda, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley, JP, MP visited Philadelphia, PA and Miami, FL to represent Bermuda at two important conferences. Between the two events the Premier took personal leave at his own expense.
Trip Duration: Tuesday, April 18, 2017 – Wednesday, April 19th, 2017
The Premier, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley JP, MP, attended the Joint Ministerial Council on European Negotiations from 4th - 9th December in London England. The meetings were called to enable the Leaders of the UK Overseas Territories to learn from UK Ministers the current status of the UK's plans to exit the European Union and for Leaders to share with the UK the concerns of the Territories. UK Ministers responsible for the Department for Exiting the European Union, the Home Office and the Department for International Development were in attendance.
The Hon. Premier, Michael H. Dunkley, attended the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) Meetings from 30th October through 3rd November, 2016 in London, UK. The annual meetings bring together the leaders of the UK Overseas Territories (OT) with UK Ministers to discuss and address issues of concern, including the UK withdrawal from the European Union, Health, Environment, and the ongoing relationship between the UK and its territories. While at the meeting, the OT Leaders were introduced to the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson.
The Premier of Bermuda, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley, JP, MP, visited London on 1st and 2nd September to conduct meetings with Ministers of the new UK Government, following the appointment of Theresa May as Prime Minister.
The Premier met with Robin Walker, MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Exiting the European Union, to discuss the implications for Bermuda of the UK's decision to leave the European Union.
The Premier of Bermuda made an official visit to Newport, Rhode Island to participate in events prior to the start of the 2016 Newport to Bermuda Race.
While there he attended two events, at which he delivered some remarks. The first event was a reception hosted by Gosling’s for all competitors and organisers at the Newport Shipyard. The second was a reception and dinner hosted by the Commodore of the Cruising Club of America. During his remarks the Premier outlined the positive effects of the Newport/Bermuda race and other recent developments on the island.
The Premier of Bermuda made an official visit to New York City to participate in the Recovery & Resilience Leadership Forum at the New York Stock Exchange. The forum was hosted by RenaissanceRe, one of Bermuda’s larger home-grown insurance and reinsurance companies.
The Premier of Bermuda made an official visit to the Azores, at the invitation of the President of the Government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Vasco Alves Cordeiro 2nd through 5th May. Following that visit, the Premier journeyed to New York City to participate in the Louis Vuitton America's Cup World Series Races.
While in the Azores the Premier signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of the Azores and Bermuda for cooperation in social, cultural and educational pursuits and visited a number of energy, educational, agricultural and historic sites.
The Premier and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley, JP, MP, accompanied by the Minister of Tourism Development and Transport and other tourism and air transport officials, met with officials of JetBlue Airlines to discuss airlift to Bermuda.
The Premier and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley, JP MP, attended the annual Joint Ministerial Council in London from 29th November through 3rd December. The annual meeting brings the Leaders of the UK Overseas Territories together to engage in discussions with UK Ministers of Government on issues of concern to the Territories and the UK.
The Premier and Minister of National Security, the Hon. Michael H. Dunkley, was invited to be the keynote speaker at the KPMG Infrastructure Summit, held in Miami Florida on 5th October. Premier Dunkley's presentation was entitled "America's Cup 2017 and Beyond ...a Lasting Legacy". As the Premier took personal leave around his attendance at the conference, there was no cost for air travel for the Bermuda Government.
The Premier was accompanied by the Secretary to the Cabinet, Dr. Derrick Binns.