UK Minister visits Cayman this week

(CMR) Amanda Milling, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office Minister responsible for the Cayman Islands and other Overseas Territories, will be visiting Cayman for the first time this week.

Arriving on the evening of Wednesday 26 January, the Minister will be meeting a wide variety of people during a three-day visit, including the Premier, Cabinet members, the Leader of the Opposition, and senior stakeholders working in government, industry, and civil society.

Governor Martyn Roper said he was pleased to welcome Milling on her first visit to Cayman.

“I am delighted to welcome Minister Milling to Cayman – her first visit to an Overseas Territory since her appointment on 15 September last year. Due to COVID, this is the first UK in-person Ministerial visit for over two years. Such visits enable us to deepen relationships and mutual understanding. It will enhance our already strong relationship. I am certain we will be able to give the Minister a very favorable impression of our wonderful islands and community.”

Ahead of the visit, Minister Milling said: “The UK and its Overseas Territories have a deep and special bond. I am therefore very pleased to be visiting the Cayman Islands this week. The UK and Cayman Islands have a very strong relationship based on mutual trust and respect. I look forward to following up on the actions of the successful Joint Ministerial Council held last November and seeing first-hand how the Cayman Islands has responded to the pandemic. I am keen to deepen our partnership.”

Premier Hon. Wayne Panton said the Cayman Islands is proud that Minister Milling chose to visit his home country.

“Minister Milling has responsibility for all of the British Overseas Territories and singled out the Cayman Islands for her visit to the region. We look forward to discussing with her the way the United Kingdom Government can work with the Cayman Islands Government to further enhance our relationship with the UK to the benefit of our country and our people,” the premier said.

A busy program has been put together for the Minister. She will hear first-hand about Cayman's COVID-19 response, including the country's impressive vaccine roll-out and our ability to detect variants of concern.

She will meet various Cayman Youth Groups and learn how they are working to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on Cayman's low-lying islands and the importance of protecting our biodiversity.

On a visit to Little Cayman, she will see the work of the Department of the Environment to conserve indigenous species, tackle invasive species and deal with the impact of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease. The Minister will also tour the Central Caribbean Marine Institute's Field Station and hear about their coral restoration efforts.

Visits to meet members of the Cayman Islands Coast Guard, Cayman Islands Regiment, and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service Air Operations Unit are also on the agenda. These visits are to see how these organizations play their part in the security and protection of Cayman.