Letter to the Chairman of the Committee
from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,
1 April 2004
I am writing to inform you of the outcome of
a recent internal review of our representation in the South Eastern
Caribbean. The remit of the reviewers was to consider whether
the configuration of our posts in the region, and the resources
available in each, was what we required to deliver our objectives.
They visited all the countries in the region where we have representation
and spoke to a wide range of stakeholders both in the UK and the
Caribbean.
The reviewers have now submitted their report
and we have considered their recommendations. One of the recommendations
that we have decided to accept is that we should not replace our
resident British Commissioners in Grenada and St Vincent and the
Grenadines when they finish their tours of duty towards the end
of 2005. The Resident British Commissioners are the only UK-based
staff in both countries and report to our High Commissioner to
Grenada and St Vincent and the Grenadines who is resident in Bridgetown,
Barbados.
Instead of resident representation we will be
appointing a non-resident British Commissioner in a way similar
to that in which we are represented in Dominica and St Kitts and
Nevis. The non-resident British Commissioner will be based in
Barbados and will visit both countries regularly.
This decision should not affect adversely the
service we provide in the two countries. Our High Commission in
both countries will remain open. They will be staffed by locally
engaged employees who will handle the day to day work of the office
including consular protection, public affairs and commercial work
and general enquiries.
The main areas of UK cooperation with Grenada,
St Vincent and the Grenadines and the wider region will also be
unaffected. Enhancing cooperation on regional security remains
at the top of our agenda and Bill Rammell's visit to the region
earlier this month identified a number of areas where we can work
more closely together. We will be discussing these and other important
issues—trade and investment, HIV/AIDS and development—at
the UK/Caribbean Forum on 10-12 May.
I believe that this limited reorganisation of
our representation in the Caribbean will enable us to deliver
more efficiently our objectives in the region.
Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
1 April 2004
| 
