Editorial

Many people around the world continue to be fascinated by the Biblical account of the miraculous parting of the Red Sea to allow the fleeing children of Israel to escape from the oncoming Egyptian army, and the sudden engulfing and drowning of the pursuers as the walls of water rushed together again.

The current “song in the air” has to do with the much unpopular Stabilisation Levy and a great deal has been, and is being, said about it in the inside pages of this newspaper. A matter that is still on the minds of many is the recent announcement of the formation of a Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee. It was a move that ran afoul with the various persons, stated as being in its membership, claiming that they were not informed about their selection before their names were announced in the media. It caused quite a furore and, not surprisingly, The Anguillian, an innocent party, and only a conduit of information, found itself ridiculously caught up in the fallout.

What a contrast it was when the very small attendance at the public forum on the Stabilisation Levy on Tuesday evening this week was compared with the very large turnout at consultations on other matters held by the Government recently. Only 14 persons were in the audience this time and it cannot be estimated how many people took the time tolisten to the live Radio Anguilla broadcast.

A national headache appears to be just over in that the 2011 budget has passed through the microscopes of two independent international financial experts, John Wiggins and Ved Gandhi, who have declared that it “stands” or, in other words, it is in good standing. However, ratification is still to come from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to which Governor Alistair Harrison has referred the report and recommendations of the two experts who have now left Anguilla.

It is customary in most parts of the world for a Head of State or the Government in general to be examined, as far as achievements or leadership policies and styles are concerned, in the first 100 days in office. That’s far less than a third of the 365 days that make up a calendar year. In that short period, the Anguilla United Movement of Chief Minister Hughes which came in Government on February 15, 2010, on a wave of popularity, has encountered various challenges and setbacks. This is unfortunate for any new Government promising to rebuild the island’s shattered economy and return the unemployed masses to work.

Admittedly, one can understand how frustrating it can be for any Government which, for some reason, finds itself unable to have a national budget approved especially in these times. For an Overseas Territory, like Anguilla, it may be seen as being difficult when the Government approves its budget and then the administering power refuses to sign it off, as has been the case.

The predominant political and financial situation, which is occupying the attention of all and sundry in Anguilla, appears to be crowding out all the very positive occurrences on the island, including matters of youth redemption, leadership and development.

Once again Anguilla has found itself in the unfortunate position of not being able to start another new year with a functioning national budget and existing in the shadow of the one for the previous year. Ordinarily this should not be, but it is a consequence of the woeful economic and financial situation which has overtaken not only Anguilla, but the world in general.

The present impasse between Anguilla and the British Government over the 2011 budget, which the Governor was instructed not to sign, is regrettable and there is an urgent need for agreement on the way forward. It is the second time that the UK Government has declined to approve a Government of Anguilla budget. The first was in 2010, necessitating a re-juggling of the figures before it was eventually approved. With the coming revised budget, it will be four budgets in just over eleven months since the Anguilla United Movement Government assumed office: a stunning record.

Without fear of contradiction, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the free and independent press to engage in fair reporting and comment and not to risk criticism and misunderstanding. It is an affront to freedom of expression as well as transparency, one of the very frequent words being loosely used these days. To be truthful, successive Governments of Anguilla have played only lip service to a free press, even today when there is a plethora of news media on the island.

In his 2011 budget presentation on Monday, December 13, 2010, the Chief Minister and Minister of Finance said: “There is no question that Anguilla is at [the] crossroads and 2011 will be a pivotal year.”

The Fourth Annual National Conference on Youth Development in Anguilla came at a somewhat awkward time this year. It was held on Tuesday this week, December 21, when the Government found itself extremely busy with budgetary matters and when the entire society is overwhelmed with the Christmas season, family reunions and other time-absorbing influences. It was appreciative, however, that Ministers of Government took some time to speak to the youth and to listen to some of their concerns.

It appears that similar to the days when a regime of taxation was about to be imposed in the then Associated State of St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla in 1967 by the Central Government, just before Anguilla skipped out of the federation, that various burdensome taxes are now descending on us. Just how all and sundry, especially the most destitute in our midst, will thrive in the New Year is something to consider.

Another top legal position has come up for filling in Anguilla over which the Governor has sole responsibility. It is that of an Attorney General to replace Mr. Wilhelm Bourne who has just completed his extended contract. There will be no new advertisements for the post as the process of advertising has already taken place in the months running up to the conclusion of Mr. Bourne’s contract.

In his recent radio broadcast, the Chief Minister spoke about fifteen questions he submitted to the Minister for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham, during his visit to London to attend the Consultative Council conference. The questions, to which he is awaiting replies, are in connection with various matters of concern to him and the functioning of his Government.

Anguilla has had the misfortune of living through a late 2010 budget and a deficit one at that. The year is fast coming to a close and, unlike the general election that was said to have stalled the presentation of that budget, there is no foreseen reason for any delay of the 2011 estimates of recurrent revenue and expenditure. In fact, it is understood that next year’s budget is already in an advanced state of preparedness and is being discussed by Executive Council. A problem is reportedly to substantially narrow the gap between revenue and expenditure. The aim is to present the budget in the Anguilla House of Assembly sometime in December, just like in previous years, and this is commendable.

Geographically, Anguilla, though the most northerly of the West Indian chain of islands, is nestled in the Caribbean and is therefore an intrinsic part of the region. Historically, although, many of the other islands are independent states, they once were, like Anguilla, far-flung British Empire possessions “upon which the sun never sets.”

At long last, the Anguilla House of Assembly is fully constituted with the appointment of the Second Nominated Member, in the person of Leroy Rogers, by His Excellency the Governor, Alistair Harrison.

A poem, Woman is People, by Rev. Eddie Frank and Ann Garside, recited at the Primary Schools’ Poetry Evening on Tuesday this week, was a source of much food for thought. This was particularly so when considered against the backdrop of matters raised at the just-concluded workshop on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women. The mere title of the poem portrays a first impression of discrimination and the need to recognise that a woman is an important factor of the human race with equal rights and opportunities as men. They are not the “down-trodden”, “the weaker vessel” or the persons whose place is only in the house, as some would say.

During the latter period in office of the previous Government of Anguilla, there were at least two moratoriums on large scale tourism projects by foreign investors. Two reasons were advanced for these decisions. One was to avoid any possible over-development resulting in the importation of masses of workers to do a significant portion of the construction work, and perhaps for other non-belongers to serve in various capacities in the completed properties much to the disadvantage of Anguillians.