Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, Thursday July 23, 2015

The Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands, Dr. The Hon. Rufus W. Ewing along with his Minister of Border Control and Employment, Hon. Ricardo Gardiner left yesterday to join other leaders of the Overseas Territories at the Pre-Joint Ministerial Council Meeting being held in Bermuda.

The meeting of OT Leaders this week precedes the Joint Ministerial Conference that is slated for November 2015 as a planning session to have candid discussions on those matters of priority affecting the Overseas Territories for inclusion on the Agenda of the JMC.

Premier Ewing, in a correspondence to the UK Minister of the Overseas Territories, Mr. Duddridge, made known his Government’s areas of priority as being financial and economic sustainability, social development and border control and security. The Premier informed Minister Duddridge of his keen intention to meet with him for further discussion on this and other matters including the UK’s response to the country’s request for a Constitutional Review which remains outstanding, and matters of diplomatic protocol and reciprocal courtesies at border check points for local and visiting diplomats.

Among the other OT Leaders expected to be in attendance at the two-day meeting in Bermuda are Dr. The Hon. Orlando Smith, Premier of the British Virgin Islands and The Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Premier of the Cayman Islands.

During the two-day meeting, the Territories Leaders are also expected to make a unified statement on their approach to Beneficial Ownership, which will be forwarded to the United Kingdom thereafter.