10 November 2023
Chief Minister, Julie Thomas, is due to depart St Helena on Saturday 11 November 2023, to travel to the UK to attend the annual Overseas Territories (OTs) Joint Ministerial Council (JMC).
The JMC takes place every year in London and is hosted by the UK Government. It brings together elected leaders and representatives from all of the OTs, as well as UK Ministers, and provides the principal forum for political dialogue and consultation between the UK and the OTs.
The JMC will run over two days and is due to begin on 14 November 2023. The Chief Minister will also have a number of official engagements before and after the event itself. These engagements will include meetings with the Labour Party spokesperson on the OTs, Stephen Doughty MP, meetings with other OT leaders and representatives, and a roundtable with the UK Parliament Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC), amongst others.
The Chief Minister will also be joined by key officials, including Governor Nigel Phillips CBE, SHG UK Representative Kedell Worboys MBE and Minister of Health and Social Care Martin Henry.
Minister Henry’s visit is being facilitated by Professor Ian Cummings, the Health Ambassador for the OTs. As well as accompanying the Chief Minister to the JMC, Minister Henry will attend a number of conferences in London and visit Gibraltar for meetings with health officials, including the newly appointed Health Minister Gemma Vasquez.
The Chief Minister is due to arrive back on St Helena on Saturday 18 November. Whilst the Chief Minister is off-Island, Minister Mark Brooks will be appointed Deputy Chief Minister.
Minister Henry is due to arrive back on Saturday 25 November. Minister Christine Scipio has kindly agreed to be the point of contact for Health and Social Care during Minister Martin Henry’s absence from the Island.
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