Select Committee on Foreign Affairs Written Evidence


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





 
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