Citizens’ rights and other issues were addressed in meetings held in Bermuda with Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the UK Foreign Office Minister for the Overseas Territories.
Following meetings with heads of government and the private sector yesterday, Lord Ahmad has conceded that issues pertaining to the rights of citizens in British Overseas Territories are best dealt with by the local governments, but he reiterated that the issue of extending the right to vote to UK nationals resident in the island was one that needed to be considered “very carefully”.
Lord Ahmad advised that the Foreign Affairs Committee (“FAC”) report recommendations were just those as the FAC is not part of Her Majesty’s government. He warned that members of the public should not be overly alarmist about the issues, and that it is for the UK government to consider and respond to any recommendations as it sees fit.
Premier David Burt and Lord Ahmad also discussed passports, economic substance regulations, child protection and public registers of beneficial ownership as well as same-sex marriage on which Lord Ahmad stated the UK’s position was well defined.
Lord Ahmad claimed Britain’s relationship with its overseas territories was “vibrant, open, but productive and progressive” and formed “part of what defines modern Britain today”. He was hopeful that there could be a positive future between the overseas territories and the UK with progress to be made in maintaining and developing the relationship.
