Leaders from 11 British Overseas Territories will meet in Downing
Street tomorrow [Tuesday 28 November] at the start of their
annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting where Prime Minister
will confirm a new £70 million
package of recovery and reconstruction support for British
islands hit by recent, devastating hurricanes.
This new, long-term support will add to the UK’s continued
efforts to help the region recover and rebuild in the wake of
hurricanes Irma and Maria, which affected more than two million
people. It will be supplemented by up to £300 million of UK loan
guarantees, for territories that need support to access finance.
At today's meeting, the Prime Minister will invite Territory
leaders to speak of their experiences in the hurricanes and to
discuss progress already made. Leaders of Anguilla, the British
Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos, the worst impacted British
territories, will be among those in attendance.
While substantial progress has been made already in the region,
the UK is committed to supporting long-term reconstruction
efforts so that each overseas territory can continue its
important work of recovering essential services such as schools,
medical facilities and ports, as well as power and water
supplies.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the Prime Minister said:
“I am pleased to welcome leaders of the Overseas Territories to
Downing Street today, as they begin regular consultations with
their counterparts in the UK Government. I see this as a mark of
the strong and enduring partnership that exists between us.
“This set of meetings is not only a chance to work together on
our shared priorities, but also to hear directly from those
territories who suffered from Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“This new £70 million package of support demonstrates the UK’s
ongoing commitment to help its Overseas Territories as they get
on with the difficult work of recovery.”
When the first hurricane struck, the UK responded immediately,
supplying humanitarian aid and disaster response expertise to the
area. We have continued to provide support since then, having
already committed £92 million to the region-wide relief effort to
date.
The Prime Minister will also take the opportunity today to update
leaders on the progress of our discussions with the European
Union as we prepare to leave, and to invite leaders to express
their views so we can ensure they are properly reflected in our
strategy for Brexit negotiations.
Notes to editors
In attendance will be:
• Hon. Mr Victor Banks, Chief Minister, Anguilla
• Councillor Jacqueline Ellick, Ascension Island
• David Burt, Premier, Bermuda
• Hon. Dr Orlando Smith, Premier, British Virgin Islands
• Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Premier , Cayman Islands
• Teslyn Barkman, Legislative Assembly member, Falkland
Islands
• Hon. Dr John Cortes, Minister for Education, Heritage, the
Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Gibraltar
• Hon. Donaldson Romeo, Premier, Montserrat
• Leslie Jaques, Councillor for International Relatoins, Pitcairn
Islands
• Councillor Lawson Henry, Legislative Council member, St
Helena
• Hon. Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson, Premier, Turks and Caicos
The grants announced today will be made available to UK
territories in line with the damage caused by the hurricanes and
their capacity to fund their own recovery.
UK support will be attached to delivery, transparency, governance
and fiscal sustainability conditions to ensure that UK support
represents value for money for the UK taxpayer, supports
longer-term good governance in the territories, and supports the
territories as they implement commitments on beneficial
ownership.
This new support will be governed by the Conflict, Stability and
Security Fund and has been found within existing FCO and DFID
budgets. Grant support will be spent over the next three years,
and will conclude the support from HMG to British territories
following Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
