Overseas Territories Minister Mark Simmonds packed a busy agenda into his one-day official visit to the Cayman Islands yesterday (Tuesday 5 November 2013).

The day began with a breakfast meeting with Premier Alden McLaughlin hosted by Governor Kilpatrick at Government House.

Later in the morning Minister Simmonds and the Premier signed a ‘FATCA’-type intergovernmental agreement, prior to the weekly meeting of Cabinet. The Minister also received a presentation on the progress of the Shetty Health City and toured the George Town Police Station.

Following lunch with past Young Caymanian Leadership Award Winners and local recipients of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Chevening Scholar Awards, the Minister visited the George Town Port for an update on the proposed cruise berthing project.

He also called at the Legislative Assembly to meet its independent members.

Mr Simmonds next stop was the Department of the Environment where he heard about the threat that the lionfish, an invasive species, poses to Cayman Islands waters, as well as the progress that the department has made with its assessment of marine parks.

The visit ended with a reception hosted by the Premier at the George Town Yacht Club and a dinner hosted by the Chamber of Commerce at Ortanique Restaurant. In between these events the Minister also took part in a brief question and answer session with local media.

Photo captions Photos by GIS

1.         OT Minister Mark Simmonds (C) began his first official visit to the Cayman Islands with a breakfast meeting with Premier Alden McLaughlin (R) at Government House. Governor Helen Kilpatrick is shown left.

2.         Minister Simmonds met briefly with Cabinet.

3.         Police Commissioner David Baines with the Minister for the OTs Mark Simmonds and his Private Secretary Tom Reagan at the George Town Police Station detention facility.

4.         Minister Simmonds had lunch at Government House with previous winners of the Young Caymanian Leadership Award and recipients of Chevening Scholarships, which are sponsored by the FCO.

5.         The Minister met with independent MLAs Ezzard Miller and Arden McLean at Government House.

6.         Minister Wayne Panton (L) joined Minister Simmonds (C) at the Environmental Centre for a presentation on the assessment of Marine Parks by Department of the Environment Director Gina Ebanks-Petrie (R).

7.         Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell (second left) outlines cruise terminal usage to OTs Minister Mark Simmonds (left), Governor Helen Kilpatrick and Ministerial Councillor Joey Hew.

8.         Premier Alden McLaughlin with Minister Simmonds at a reception at the George Town Yacht Club.

NOTE: FACTA agreement expected to be signed soon with USA

FATCA, or the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, began as a US tax-reporting initiative for US residents living overseas. The Cayman Islands Government expects to sign a Model 1 IGA with the US, to which the UK agreement is similar, in the very near future.

Source: Ministry of Financial Services.