In a visit spanning 8 and 9 February, Sir Michael met senior police and justice officials, Cabinet members, Members of the Legislative Assembly, leaders in the business community, and heads of civil society organisations.

Sir Michael showed a keen interest in the subject of the impact of Hurricane Ivan. “I’ve seen the damage caused by Ivan; I’m also impressed at the extent to which the damage done is being repaired. I am impressed with the resilience of the islands.”

While attending an Overseas Countries and Territories meeting with the European Union last November, Minister Alden McLaughlin had discussed with UK officials the need for hurricane relief assistance.

Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Lord Triesman had undertaken to press the EU for relief funds to be provided to Cayman within the first quarter of this year. It is these funds that Sir Michael promised to urge the EU to release.

“I want, for example, to put further pressure on the European Commission to provide quickly the money to help with reconstruction after Hurricane Ivan,” he said when summing up the things needed to be done based on his visit.

“What we need to do is cut through some of the bureaucracy and make sure that money gets here so we can help the people who need it now.”

Sir Michael’s comments on the need to have the EU relief delivered quickly were supported by Governor Stuart Jack. “It’s much easier to go ahead and press for that money when you have actually seen on the ground the problems that still remain and what can be done with the money,” the Governor said.

Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts also underscored the usefulness of that money if delivered quickly. “If that fund is made readily available in a lump sum it will be able to really make a difference. The national recovery efforts will be able to really go full ahead to try and to complete what’s left undone.”

Sir Michael said that the UK had learnt from the Cayman experience following Ivan and other storms that affected Caribbean territories in 2004. He said that the UK is working closely with the Cayman Government and those of other Overseas Territories in establishing contingency plans, and pre-positioning key personnel for rapid reaction to disasters.

“One of the lessons we’ve learned is that there needs to be greater coordination and a closer partnership between the UK and the Cayman Islands Government on disaster management” he said.

He dismissed the opinion in some circles that as a leading financial jurisdiction, Cayman does not need external disaster assistance. “The fact that it is the fifth largest financial centre is a tribute to the people of the Cayman Islands, but that does not absolve us of our responsibility to provide help to the Cayman Islands in the wake of a disaster such as Hurricane Ivan.”

Though the agenda of his visit here did not include talks on a modernised Cayman Islands constitution, Sir Michael observed that much progress has been made in this direction and that a lot more work is needed.

He said that a team headed by senior constitutional expert in the Foreign Office Ian Hendry is due in Cayman in March. “I hope those talks will lead to further progress being made in 2006,” he said.

Mr. Hendry’s team will be in Cayman to restart constitutional talks that were suspended before the general elections.