Postal services, border security and decolonisation are on Premier Dr. Natalio “Sowande” Wheatley’s agenda during a 10-day trip abroad.

Dr. Wheatley, who left Saturday and is scheduled to return Tuesday, is currently in the Cayman Islands through Sunday, according to government.

His first order of business there was attending the Caribbean Postal Union Conference, where he met with other leaders from around the region for the Universal Postal Union Regional Strategy Forum, according to government.

“The Universal Postal Union International Bureau decided to implement regional cooperation projects to coordinate and improve quality of service through an integrated postal supply chain,” Dr. Wheatley said before leaving. “This approach aims to help designated operators modernise operational processes and use all available IT standardised tools and systems to implement operational solutions which meet e-commerce requirements.”

Border security

Following the postal conference, Dr. Wheatley is scheduled to take part in an “exploratory mission” surrounding Cayman’s work to merge its border agencies.

“The exploratory mission regarding the transition of the Department of Immigration and His Majesty Customs to a border force entity will allow for both departments and the parent ministries to gain information on legislative, administrative and management changes undertaken by the Cayman Islands contributing to successfully transitioning to the Customs and Border Control,” the premier said.

Decolonisation

After he leaves Cayman, Dr. Wheatley is scheduled to travel to New York from Sunday through Tuesday for the substantive session of the UN Committee on Decolonisation at UN Headquarters.
There, he will deliver a statement designed to reinforce the message Special Envoy Benito Wheatley recently gave on his behalf at the Caribbean regional seminar on Decolonisation in Venezuela, according to government.

His statement will emphasise that the UN system must work more closely with overseas territories to support their development and encourage administering powers to provide the support and climate finance needed to build climate resilience and foster sustainable development, government stated.

In Dr. Wheatley’s absence, Deputy Premier Lorna Smith has been appointed to act as premier and finance minister from last Saturday to next Tuesday.