The following is a Press Release from the Governor’s Office:

CRUISE SHIP TERMINAL PROJECT: LETTER FROM THE MINISTER FOR THE OVERSEAS TERRITORIES TO THE PREMIER

His Excellency the Governor has been asked by the FCO Minister for the Overseas Territories, Mr Mark Simmonds, to issue the following statement.

As many people in the Cayman Islands will be aware, the UK Government has for some time been concerned with the way in which the procurement of better cruise ship facilities has been conducted.  Both the present Minister for the Overseas Territories in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Mr Mark Simmonds, and his predecessor, Mr Henry Bellingham, have raised this a number of times in meetings and in correspondence with the Honourable Premier, McKeeva Bush over the past year.  When Minister Bellingham visited the Cayman Islands earlier this year, he made these concerns clear in his press conference on 20 April.

Mr Simmonds has now found it necessary to write to the Premier again about this and the outstanding issue of the transposition into law of the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility.  The Minister has asked that his letter be made available to the people of the Cayman Islands so that there is no misunderstanding of the UK government’s position on both issues. His letter of today is shown below and as an attachment.

The UK Government supports the aim of enhanced cruise ship facilities and fully understands the potential economic benefit to the Cayman Islands. The nationalities of the parties involved have no bearing on this case.  We encourage investment in the Cayman Islands by China and other countries. It is of critical long-term importance to all parties that proper procurement processes are followed in line with international best practice.

END

Letter to Hon. McKeeva Bush from Mark Simmonds MP Minister for Africa, the Overseas Territories, Caribbean and International Energy