London: Britain has abruptly recalled Bangladeshi-born Anwar Choudhury after barely three months as governor of the Cayman Islands following "a number of complaints against him".
Choudhury's appointment was seen as part of an experiment to induct members of the ethnic minorities to senior diplomatic posts to demonstrate the progressive multicultural nature of British society.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London did not explain why 59-year-old Choudhury, described by The Guardian newspaper as "a trailblazing diplomat", has been asked to return to London from the Caribbean paradise.
But the foreign office said in a statement: "Anwar Choudhury has been temporarily withdrawn from his post to allow the FCO to investigate a number of complaints against him. It is inappropriate to comment further while an investigation is ongoing."
Anwar Bokth Choudhury was born in Sunamganj in East Pakistan and moved to the UK when he was young. He was fast-tracked from the private sector and appointed British high commissioner to Bangladesh in 2004 at the age of 44 in what was then considered a daring social experiment.
Shortly after his arrival, he survived an assassination attempt as he was leaving the Dargah-e-Shah Jalal mosque in Sylhet Division, his home province. He was injured and two bystanders killed in the grenade attack.
Choudhury, who lists Baul music and cricket among his loves, is the father of three children. He served as British ambassador to Peru for five years before taking up his post as governor of the Cayman Islands in March this year.
News of his recall was broken by Alden McLaughlin, premier of the Cayman Islands, while he was in London to discuss their future constitutional relationship with the British government with Lord Tariq Ahmad, the Pakistani-origin minister at the Foreign Office with responsibility for the overseas territories.
"The minister (Tariq Ahmad) formally advised me that His Excellency the Governor, Mr Anwar Choudhury, has been temporarily withdrawn from his post as governor of the Cayman Islands to allow the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to investigate a number of complaints against him," McLaughlin said, adding that he was told the investigation could last four to six weeks.
"The minister insisted that no further details could be provided at this stage and indicated that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office did not intend to make a public statement regarding the matter," the premier added.
For the time being, the deputy governor would do the job.
"I have advised the speaker, the cabinet, the government caucus and the leader of opposition accordingly," McLaughlin said. "While this development was unforeseen and is most unfortunate, I am confident that it will not affect the continued good governance of the Cayman Islands."
The Cayman Islands include three islands - Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman - and have a population of 61,000. They are considered "autonomous British Overseas Territory".
The problem that has arisen is over how transparent businesses registered in the Cayman Islands should be -- and they have more businesses (quite a few of them Indian) than people.
It is pointed out that the Cayman Islands are a major international financial centre. The largest sectors are "banking, hedge fund formation and investment, structured finance and securitisation, captive insurance, and general corporate activities".
The Guardian explained: "The territories fear that if they are forced to open share registers to public scrutiny, valuable investments will flee to more secretive jurisdictions elsewhere. Currently, registers of share ownership are only open to law enforcement agencies. The territories have until the end of 2020 to introduce the public registers.
"As the voice of the UK on the islands, the governor is in the delicate position of having to conciliate between the sovereign Westminster government and elected Cayman ministers."
One newspaper, the Mail on Sunday, to whom Choudhury refused to give an interview, alleged the reasons for his recall "relate to his treatment of domestic staff and office employees.
"He is alleged to have asked a maid to massage his shirtless back, a request she found inappropriate, though there is no suggestion of sexual impropriety. Sources have said that he is also accused of misbehaviour towards his wife, Momina, 16 years his junior.
"In addition it is claimed he had a drunken row with his elderly mother-in-law one night. At his Government House mansion, it is claimed he shouted at and bullied staff.
"Choudhury also allegedly asked the maids to nanny his baby daughter, but they declined, saying their duties extended only to cleaning."
MPs on the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Cayman Islands said they had been told about the allegations made against Choudhury. One told the paper: "As I understand it, the complaints relate to his conduct."
