OPENING REMARKS BY GOVERNOR ROPER (INLCUDING ON BEHALF OF THE UK AG)

Thank
you Cabinet Secretary and Attorney General for your welcoming words.
I am delighted to see so many of you here today at what is an
important date in the Overseas Territory’s calendar.

As
you are aware we were hoping to have the UK Attorney General,
Geoffrey Cox here with us today but with continuing uncertainty over
BREXIT and the important role that he is playing in this it became
impossible for him to travel at what is a very key moment for the UK
and the Overseas territories. He has asked my deliver some messages
to you on his behalf:

Begins:

I
am very sorry that I cannot be here today to chair this important
conference. It is fitting that we have the Attorney Generals’
Conference here in the Cayman Islands as they celebrate the 60th
anniversary of the coming into force of the first Cayman constitution
on 4th
July 1959. I am aware that there will be celebrations taking place to
mark this special occasion and that Lord Ahmad, Minister for the
Overseas Territories, hopes to visit the islands for this special
occasion.

I
was very much looking forward to my first conference and meeting you
all to discuss the important issues on the agenda.

As
you are aware, due to the ongoing negotiations regarding the
UK’s exit from the European Union, I am required to remain in
London.

In
this respect, the conference is especially important in being the
last before the UK is scheduled to leave the European Union. I
absolutely understand that it has been an unprecedented process for
all the Overseas Territories and you as Attorneys, but it is also one
that presents a unique opportunity to redefine our relationship with
the EU. On this the Prime Minister has been clear: the UK is
committed to securing a deal on our future relationship that works
for the whole British family, including all the OTs.

So
today there will be a discussion of a number of key legislative and
other issues related to EU exit. All these topics have been discussed
in varying levels of detail with you before, including at the last
AGs conference, as well as at the teleconferences with FCO and
cross-Government officials held in September and December. These
issues have also been raised by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, with OT
Premiers at both of last year’s JMCs, and I am clear that this
UK-OT engagement on EU exit will continue, at both official and
ministerial level, throughout the exit process.

It
is because of their crucial importance that these topics feature on
our agenda again today, at this moment of historic importance for the
UK, it is important that the territories and crown dependencies work
together to ensure an orderly exit from the EU for each and every one
of our jurisdictions.

This
conference is an important opportunity for the Law Officers from the
Territories and representatives of the UK Government to discuss
priority issues of mutual interest across the Territories and is a
forum to exchange experience and share best practice in achieving
this ambition. Many of your Territories face similar challenges as
small islands or jurisdictions and there is often much to be learned
from each other, across the family of UK Overseas Territories.

I
was also pleased to note and welcome the Attorneys General from two
of our Crown Dependencies, and representatives from the United States
and Canada. Thank you for being here to share your views on these
important issues.

Many
of you have travelled a long way to be here, and I want the
discussions to be as useful as possible. The conference has helped to
drive progress in a number of important areas in recent years,
including extradition and our shared responsibility for Territories’
compliance with international obligations and the extension of core
conventions on human rights and anti-corruption.

Today,
there is a full day of discussions which will cover EU Exit, our
constitutional relationships and anti-corruption. Tomorrow, the
agenda covers areas as diverse as child safeguarding, LGBT rights,
criminal justice issues and law reform. I hope that you all have
frank and substantial discussions on these issues.

I
would also like to pass on my gratitude to those of our Caribbean
colleagues who have helped their Territories to recover from the
devastating 2017 hurricane season. Disaster Management remains a key
priority and, whilst this will not be discussed in detail during the
conference, rest assured that the UK remains committed to supporting
all Territories to prepare for and respond to natural disasters.

I
also note that this is a particularly important time to be discussing
the relationship between the OTs and the UK, given the recent UK
parliamentary inquiry into the future of the Overseas Territories.
The Committee received over 100 pieces of written evidence, as well
as hearing oral evidence from many Territory leaders. The formal
report from this inquiry is awaited and is due to be published
towards the end of this month.

Finally,
finally I would like to thank Sam Bulgin and his team for all the
hard work that has gone in to the preparation of the conference and
once again to wish you all the very best for a conference of mutually
beneficial discussions.

I would like to add my own
words of welcome to those of the Attorney General. Our AGs have a
uniquely important role in all our territories and do a great deal to
underpin stability, security and prosperity. We owe you all our
thanks and appreciation for the role you play. I hope you all have a
productive and informative conference. It is clear that there are
many important issues for you to debate this year. I hope that you
also find a chance to enjoy the wonderful Cayman Islands hospitality.
I look forward to welcoming you to Government House this evening.