There will no talks about Cayman’s constitutional modernisation process with Sir Michael Jay, the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office Permanent Under-Secretary, when he arrives here this week for an official visit, Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said Friday.
Mr. Jay is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday and leave on Thursday. A press release sent out by Government Information Services last week indicated the programme for his visit – which was organised by the Governor’s Office – included official talks on a full range of issues, including constitutional modernisation.
‘For the record, I did not see a draft copy of the release before it was issued,’ Mr. Tibbetts said. ‘I was not aware Sir Michael wished to speak to us on constitutional modernisation.
‘Frankly, I think they were looking for words to put into (the press release) and those sounded nice.’
While Mr. Tibbetts said the occasion of the Mr. Jay’s visit was not the time for talks about constitutional modernisation, talks are scheduled to commence soon.
‘The UK’s first representatives will be arriving the week of 20 March,’ Mr. Tibbetts said. ‘Those discussions will be preliminary discussions. The UK representatives will only be meeting with legislators, and I mean all legislators.’
Last week’s announcement created some controversy when some opposition MLA members felt they were being snubbed in constitutional talks with Mr. Jay.
Initially, it appeared only Leader of the Opposition McKeeva Bush was to meet with Mr Jay on his two-day visit – leaving other Opposition legislators without contact with him. However, the GIS press release stated Mr. Jay would meet with the Members of the Legislative Assembly, which presumably meant all of them.
Mr. Tibbetts said the members of the Opposition need not worry about being excluded in any official talks with the UK on the issue of constitutional modernisation.
‘Any discussions on constitutional modernisation will be conducted on an inclusive basis.’
Mr. Tibbetts said the Government is uncertain who will arrive from the UK to take part in the talks in March.
‘Names have been mentioned, but I’m not sure,’ Mr. Tibbetts said.
‘From experience, it will probably be two or three people,’ he said. ‘But that should really come from the Governor’s Office.’
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