Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Jul 14, 2025

Sugg still not replaced as OT minister

Sugg still not replaced as OT minister

British overseas territories stand on the precipice of historic moments including the rollout of Covid-19 vaccines, the implementation of Brexit, and the fallout from the United Kingdom’s decision to cut foreign aid by a projected $4 billion in response to economic hardship caused by the pandemic.

Baroness Liz Sugg, former minister for OTs and sustainable development at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, officially tendered her resignation in a Nov. 25 letter decrying the withholding of foreign financial assistance as “fundamentally wrong.”

At the time, international news sources anticipated that the UK government would appoint a new minister within a few weeks. The UK has not yet announced a permanent replacement, but Governor Gus Jaspert told the Beacon last week that Lord Tariq Ahmad, the current minister of state for South Asia and the Commonwealth, has been serving in the role on a temporary basis.

“Lord Ahmad, who was the overseas territory minister previously, is covering that responsibility now,” Mr. Jaspert said in an interview. “Now, obviously, things may change in the future, but he is very experienced; he is a very, very firm advocate and supporter of the overseas territories — and, … particularly for the BVI, has been in the past. He’s very, very engaged, and he will be supporting us as we go forward.”

Sugg’s tenure


Ms. Sugg assumed the role after Mr. Ahmad last February. She then resigned in late November, the same week OT and UK leaders came together virtually for their annual Joint Ministerial Council meetings.

The resignation came shortly after UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, who was appointed in February, announced on Nov. 25 that the country’s foreign aid spending would be reduced from 0.7 percent to 0.5 percent of the national income despite what was promised in the Conservative election manifesto, equating to a $4 billion difference.

She wrote in her resignation letter that significant spending cuts already occurred during the worst of the economic downturn, and she “did not believe we should reduce our support further at a time of unprecedented global crisis.”

“[Providing foreign aid] has also been firmly in our national interest as we tackle global issues, such as the pandemic, climate change and conflict,” Ms. Sugg added. “Cutting UK aid risks undermining your efforts to promote a global Britain and will diminish our power to influence other nations to do what is right. I cannot support or defend this decision. It is therefore right that I tender my resignation.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
President Trump Visits Flood-Ravaged Texas, Praises Community Strength and First Responders
From Mystery to Meltdown, Crisis Within the Trump Administration: Epstein Files Ignite A Deepening Rift at the Highest Levels of Government Reveals Chaos, Leaks, and Growing MAGA Backlash
Trump Slams Putin Over War Death Toll, Teases Major Russia Announcement
Reparations argument crushed
Rainmaker CEO Says Cloud Seeding Paused Before Deadly Texas Floods
A 92-year-old woman, who felt she doesn't belong in a nursing home, escaped the death-camp by climbing a gate nearly 8 ft tall
French Journalist Acquitted in Controversial Case Involving Brigitte Macron
Elon Musk’s xAI Targets $200 Billion Valuation in New Fundraising Round
Kraft Heinz Considers Splitting Off Grocery Division Amid Strategic Review
Trump Proposes Supplying Arms to Ukraine Through NATO Allies
EU Proposes New Tax on Large Companies to Boost Budget
Trump Imposes 35% Tariffs on Canadian Imports Amid Trade Tensions
Junior Doctors in the UK Prepare for Five-Day Strike Over Pay Disputes
US Opens First Rare Earth Mine in Over 70 Years in Wyoming
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
Bitcoin Reaches New Milestone of $116,000
Biden’s Doctor Pleads the Fifth to Avoid Self-Incrimination on President’s Medical Fitness
Grok Chatbot Faces International Backlash for Antisemitic Content
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
×