Above: Scrub Island in the British Virgin Islands

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Greenland Premier Kuupik Kleist is visiting the British Virgin Islands this week in his capacity as chairman of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association.

The British Virgin Islands is one of 22 members of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association, which was established in 2003.

The visit, which will last in BVI from June 20 to June 22, is the first leg of a trip aimed at helping to inform him about British and Dutch overseas territories in the Caribbean.

Kleist is meeting with British Virgin Islands Premier Dr Orlando Smith during his stay to discuss European Union-OCT relations.

Smith’s office said it was opportunity to reiterate the BVI’s support for the EU’s revision of the Overseas Association Decision, and to emphasize the need to revise the eligibility criteria for territorial funding, which currently excludes the BVI and the Cayman Islands.

The existing OAD, which gives overseas territories free market access to the EU, will expire next year.

Kleist will also hold talks with Deputy Prime Minister Kedrick Pickering, who will discuss the BVI’s plan for green growth, a subject that will be at the forefront of this week’s Rio+20 talks.

Kleist will leave the territory Friday to visit Aruba and Curacao.

Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark.