OVERSEAS TERRITORIES CONSULTATIVE COUNCIL: THE DELEGATES GET TALKING
By J. Brock (SARTMA)
An official photograph was issued from the Sixth Overseas Territories Consultative Council, in which I saw some familiar faces. Not only is Falklands’ Cllr. Jan Cheek present in the photo but also St. Helena Cllr Kathy Hopkins. I know them both and have the intuitive feeling that the Consultative Council flourished because of their participation. It is this Consultative Council and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conferences and meetings that provide a platform for representatives from the South Atlantic Remote Territories to get together and discuss common issues that affect them generally, as well as sharing ideas that can help solve problems and make things run smoother.
Amongst the things that the Governments of St. Helena and the Falklands have in common is the fact that they both are undergoing Constitutional change. There is no easy way to change a nation’s Constitution but it is helpful for St. Helena and the Falklands to hear first-hand about the process on other Islands. Whether changes entail going over to a ministerial system, or just altering the number of representatives on Council, it’s good to find out whether and how it works, or doesn’t work on another Island.
Other subjects like Sustainable Development and EU Assistance for Development were also discussed at the meeting. The Falklands have benefited from EU funding and St. Helena can also have funding for projects from the EU. Accepting the money does have its pit-falls, as Falkland Islanders know. Strings attached and regulation thwarted the Abattoir project and FIG ended up funding the much-needed project. SHG doesn’t have the luxury of a huge budget that could absorb the cost of an abattoir but it could benefit from lessons learned by the experience on the Falklands.
An important area of discussion centred on the OTC Environmental programme. All of the Islands have benefited by sharing information about, amongst other things, Rat Eradication and the removal of non-indigenous plants, etc. That means plenty to talk about, as some of the funding for these programmes comes from UNESCO, for example. The wise use of these funds is a common concern amongst the OSTs that receive money for environmental projects.
Currently, the UK Overseas Territories have been buffeted by seismic activity and hurricanes. Disaster Preparedness was certainly h hot topic of discussion at the Consultative Council Meeting, given the events in the Cayman Islands. When the 2001 hurricane hit Tristan da Cunha, HMG granted £75,000.00 towards damages that amounted to nearly £2Million. Better preparation might have lessened the amount of damage. However, the level of support after a disaster is important as well.
The UK Overseas Territories Consultative Council meets once a year but it is the contacts made at those meetings that have a lasting affect. Above all, friendships and professional relationships forged at these meetings makes it easier to keep in touch throughout the year. When you think of how isolated some of the territories are, then it’s a minor miracle when so many representatives can get together in the same place. It is the meaningful conversations and the sharing of ideas that helps melt away the miles and draw the OSTs together.
