Summary
In September 2017, the Caribbean was hit by some of the most ferocious Category 5 hurricanes the region has ever seen. Hurricanes Irma and Maria were responsible for widespread devastation across the British Overseas Territories of Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands. The FCO coordinated the UK Government response to the hurricanes, working with the MoD, DFID and several other departments to provide skills, assistance and funding to the territories. We recognise the huge efforts made by civilian and military personnel in the UK and in the region, alongside the determination and fortitude of the inhabitants of the Overseas Territories in the face of this disaster.
While the UK’s response was considered to be swift and strategic by some of those islands affected, there are lessons to be learned. Given the frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean, the UK Government should seek to develop an international strategy for disaster relief which allows for the best use of resources in time-critical disaster situations. The Government relies heavily on the Royal Navy for crisis response, and in discussions over the future of the fleet it needs to take the vulnerability of the Overseas Territories into consideration.
The hurricanes caused extensive damage to homes, properties and infrastructure across the Overseas Territories. Recovery efforts are under way, but much remains to be done. The FCO are embarking on a series of measures in partnership with the Overseas Territory governments and the private sector to build resilience in the infrastructure and economies of the Overseas Territories.
The constitutional relationships between the UK and each of its Overseas Territories are complex and unique. Since 2012, when the last Government White Paper on the Overseas Territories was published, the UK has had two General Elections and a referendum to leave the European Union. Clarity is needed on a number of issues, several of which have been brought to the fore by the hurricanes, such as access to development aid. Close, effective working relationships between Overseas Territories governments and the FCO are important and should be based on mutual trust and respect. It is not clear what recourse is available to the Overseas Territories should those crucial relationships deteriorate.
Published: 7 March 2018