Meyer was in Puerto Rico last week to attend a reception honoring Ian Court, who until recently served as the U.K.'s honorary consul in Puerto Rico for 14 years. We've been very impressed with what Ian has been able to achieve over the last 14 years. Vice Consul Patricia Martinez Tully will head the local office. She will report directly to Miami-based Consul Robin Bayliss, who will travel to Puerto Rico monthly with John Wright, an expert in Caribbean and Latin American trade. We aim to try and interest more British companies in investing in Puerto Rico and selling their goods and services here.
British companies are particularly interested in selling consumer goods to Puerto Rican consumers.
Privatization of government-owned enterprises is another area of opportunity. The consulate plans to alert British investors of pending hospital sales and bids for contracts to manage prisons. Though they won't say who they are, British and Puerto Rico government officials continue to say U.K. investors are very interested in a planned transshipment port. There is quite a bit of interest on the part of British investors. Britain is the fourth largest economy in the world and, like the U.S., is enjoying a long stretch of economic growth.