The Cayman Islands has a new United Kingdom minister responsible for relations with the British overseas territories following a government reshuffle by prime minister Andy Burnham.
Uma Kumaran was appointed parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 22 July as Burnham announced changes to his ministerial team.
Her portfolio includes responsibility for the Caribbean, the overseas territories, global technology and artificial intelligence, violence against women and girls, and departmental operations.
The role places oversight of the UK’s relationship with Cayman under her remit.
“It is an honour to be given responsibility for my new ministerial brief, covering the Caribbean, the overseas territories, global tech and AI, and violence against women and girls,” Kumaran wrote in a post on X.
She said she looked forward to working with international partners on shared priorities, including climate action in the Caribbean, tackling violence against women and girls and “unlocking the shared opportunities of the AI revolution”.
In a separate post announcing her appointment, Kumaran said she was honoured to become a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.
“At a volatile time globally, Britain’s voice and international leadership matters,” she wrote. “Looking forward to serving our great country.”
Kumaran was elected Labour MP for Stratford and Bow in the 2024 general election. Before entering government, she served on the UK parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and has also been appointed an assistant whip.
She replaces Stephen Doughty, who previously held responsibility for the Caribbean and the overseas territories at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Ministers responsible for the overseas territories portfolio oversee matters including governance, constitutional affairs and diplomatic engagement with the territories.
