GOVERNOR PRESIDES OVER LAST BRITISH REGISTRATION CEREMONY

Wednesday July 14, 2010

His Excellency the Governor Mr. David Pearey yesterday presided over his last British Registration Ceremony at Government House and shared the importance of the ceremonies to him as Governor.

“It has always been a very important part of the responsibility as Governor. I believe that with the help of the Registrar-General, the former Registrar-General, the staff of the Passport Office and my staff here at the Governor’s Office we have made real progress in the way this process is managed,” the Governor said.

The Governor made reference to the backlog of applications that he met when he first took office over four years ago. “Since then working with the Registrar-General and the Passport Office, I think we have made enormous strides. There is no backlog of application sitting in offices and it is hoped that the application process has improved significantly. I believe we have achieved a reasonable level of service delivery, which is what we in the public service always endeavour to do,” the Governor shared.

Governor Pearey who will be leaving the Territory in August and resigning from the Diplomatic Service congratulated the eight new citizens and presented them with their certificates of registration as British Citizens.

The ceremony was presided over by Registrar-General, Mrs. Stephanie Benn, who also expressed her congratulations to the new citizens and explained some of the rights and privileges they are entitled to as British citizens.

“As British citizens you are entitled to freedom of movement, residence and the opportunity to work without a work permit in the United Kingdom and European Union Economic Area Member States, and the right to vote in the UK providing the normal residence and immigration requirements are met,” Mrs. Benn stated.

As a result of the British Overseas Territories Act of 2002, British citizenship was extended to all BOT citizens. Persons naturalised as BOT citizens following the enactment of the Act on May 21, 2002, do not automatically become British citizens but are eligible to register as British citizens.

The extension of British citizenship to BOT citizens was part of the UK Government’s 1999 White Paper entitled Partnership for Progress and Prosperity, which outlined UK policy in respect of the overseas territories.