Local graduate Keanu Been made the TCI proud when he, along with Governor His Excellency Nigel Dakin, Premier Hon. Washington Misick and Deputy Premier Hon. E. Jay Saunders represented that TCI at a reception in the UK’s foreign office on November 17.
The event, which was the closing reception of the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) was held in London and is an annual gathering between the Overseas Territories’ elected leader and representatives. This year’s session focused on climate change, energy resiliency and sustainability.
At the event, Been rubbed shoulders with a number of bigwigs, including the Duke of Cambridge HRH Prince William, with whom he had a lengthy conversation, covering various topics from politics to climate change.
Keanu stated, “…He asked about my interests on the subject to which I brought up how I was interested in working in the natural resource industry as a political and security risk consultant. While I’m not as environmentally focused as my colleagues, I think it’s important to recognise the privileged access to ministers and governments held by the natural resources industries and their importance in global value chains.”
When asked about how it felt meeting the Duke, Keanu expressed just how indescribable the opportunity and moment was to him.
“As someone who has been interested in history and politics since I was 10, words can never truly express my feelings on meeting the likely future king of THE royal family, which has led England and the United Kingdom for centuries…I will say that he made all the young delegates feel relaxed and that he was someone who was interested in hearing what we had to say.”
According to Been, this was the first time in several years that a royal did attend a JMC meeting.
“I believe that HRH The Duke of Cambridge was the first royal to attend a JMC meeting in at least several years. I think he showed how invested he is in meeting young people who play a vital role in protecting our environment and the importance of climate change’s effects on the Overseas Territories,” he further noted.
Keanu was previously a student of the British West Indies Collegiate and has recently graduated with an MA in International Political Economy at King's College London.
Governor Nigel Dakin shared a bit more about Keanu in an Instagram post which read in part: “He is now interning at the Sub-Saharan African Desk Officer at a security consultancy and volunteering for a frontbench UK Member of Parliament. Looking ahead he tells me he aspires to be a Diplomat - and why not!”
Governor Dakin further expressed how impressed he was with Keanu’s display, penning on Instagram: “…Well done to Keanu for representing TCI in what was - given his ambition - an important “diplomatic” event. He did TCI proud.