Columns

As I indicated in my last article in The Anguillian of the 6th January 2012 that I would deal with the proposed White Paper, developed by the United Kingdom Government for the Overseas Territories, I beg first to go back as far as 1969 when the British Government invaded THE ROCK. There was a merchant ship anchored just outside - what was called sixty odd - stationed there for weeks on end. You see, fellow Anguillians, this is an extension of the BRONSON DEEP which passes just outside Little Scrub down to the north of Puerto Rico, and is the deepest part of the Atlantic Ocean. It reaches to a depth of over twenty eight thousand feet (28,000 ft) almost as deep as Mt. Everest is high (29,000 ft).

This weekend, yet another time we suffered anxious moments as we heard the report that three of our hardworking and courageous fishermen were missing at sea. It is the kind of report that we all dread. As an island surrounded by the sea it has been the source of our livelihood over the centuries but it has also caused us much pain and loss. There will always be fishermen, sailors, and other lovers of the enchanting waters around Anguilla --- so we have come to expect anxiety and sadness from time to time. My good friends Claude Richardson and Cecil “Kitto” Edwards, with young George Romney, left our shores to ply their trade and met with misfortune at the hands of the very ocean that was their regular provider. We commiserate with the family and friends of Cecil “Kitto” Edwards who did not make it through the ordeal --- and we rejoice with the family and friends of Claude and George to whom God’s providence granted safe return. We are grateful to all those who took part in the search effort and their eventual rescue. And may “Kitto’s” soul rest in peace!

Why do they hate me? At some point in our lives, we have probably asked that question ourselves, or have heard others asking it. That is certainly not surprising as people throughout the centuries have asked themselves that question as well.

I read with interest the article written by Mr. Marcel Fahie captioned “I am Chief Minister, If You Don’t Like It Get Outa Here”, published in the January 27th issue of The Anguillian newspaper, and I believe that the record must be set straight. Like Mr. Fahie, I question the judgment of the Chief Minister in claiming the E.C. $40,000.00 refund on his telecommunications bill. Has he provided credible proof that the bills were incurred in the pursuit of the nation’s business? And is this payout prudent given the current economic climate with so many of our local people hurting, rampant inflation and government workers feeling the cumulative crunch of salary cuts and salary taxes? I think any responsible citizen would prefer our government focus on economic reform, develop innovative ways to grow the economy and proactively manage the relationship with the British government so that it is less punitive toward Anguilla, rather than spending time on justifying personal telecommunications bills.

This week we continue our journey into Anguilla’s maritime heritage, looking at marine (maritime) heritage and the island’s artificial reefs.

A week had not lapsed since I wrote my last article, Ships At Sea, before sad news struck our community about the fate of three ambitious, sea-fearing men presumed lost to the boundless ocean. By all accounts, they had gone fishing in the area of Prickly Pear last Saturday when a sudden high swell swamped their boat, causing it to capsize.

I ended my last article, “I am Chief Minister, if you don’t like it get out’a here” by quoting the chorus of the Mighty Sparrow’s classic calypso “Get to Hell Outa Here”. The Mighty Sparrow did a masterful job of capturing the tendency for Dr. Eric Williams to perform as the “strong man” in the national politics of Trinidad and Tobago, and as the head of its Government, towering over everyone else.

Lillian ‘Lilli’ Azevedo, Jack Kent Cooke Graduate Scholar and archaeologist, has been living on Anguilla since 2009. Her PhD thesis on heritage and heritage management in Anguilla at the University of Southampton will be submitted in May 2012 and her current headquarters are at the Anguilla Heritage Trail Headquarters at Historic Wallblake House in The Valley. During her time on Anguilla, she has led an underwater archaeological survey to identify historic shipwrecks (2009) and spearheaded the Anguilla Heritage Trail (2010).

Many Anguillians at home and abroad are becoming more and more frustrated, disgusted and divided over what appears to be a never-ending duel between the Chief Minister and the Governor of Anguilla. Hardly a week passes when there is not some apparent conflict, war of words, subtle charge and counter charge, denial, and the like. For some, the situation is confusing, for some it is divisive, for some it is foolish and embarrassing, and for some it is seen as an opportunity to play party politics and score political points.

I cannot believe it. Impossible! What? The Executive Council of the Government of Anguilla, my Anguilla, approved the payment of $40,000 to the Hon. Hubert Hughes, Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, for telephone calls made from his home phone, some twelve to fifteen years ago? My Chief Minister, our Chief Minister, heading our Anguilla Government has been awarded $40,000 for telephone calls that were made a long time ago. And did you say he had previously made the claim, the same or a similar claim, on the Anguilla Government during the tenure of the Hon. Osbourne Fleming as Chief Minister, and was turned down?

This week the Anguilla United Front completed its Annual Convention.The Convention is an important part of the organization of our party, and the development of an effective strategy to inform and educate the people of Anguilla into making the right choices when the time comes, sooner or later, to select representatives that are capable of providing sound national leadership.

Citizens, Residents and Visitors during the week of January 22nd to January 28th, 2012 the Royal Anguilla Police Force celebrates its 40th Anniversary and Police Week under the theme “Public Security A Shared Responsibility”.
The Royal Anguilla Police Force was established in the year 1972 to maintain law and order, fight crime, to protect life and property and to maintain peace and tranquility in our society.

The unknown author of the familiar song “I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day…” must have been quite optimistic about the prized contents of those vessels. Whether those “ships” relate to a real experience, or whether they are only a figment of the imagination when that old English carol from the Victorian era is sung every year prior to the sacred day, it expresses a surge of glee and anticipation for the joys of Christmas.

This week, instead of his usual press conference, Governor Alistair Harrison gave separate interviews to Radio Anguilla, ATV 3 and The Anguillian. Above are some of the main topics on which he spoke to the newspaper on Tuesday afternoon.

Following is a statement issued to The Anguillian on January 12, 2012 by Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Evan McNiel Rogers

The Chief Minister, The Honourable Hubert Hughes shocked a number of Anguillians, residents on the island and his supporters when a little over a week ago a published decision from Executive Council revealed that he was able to maneuver his Ministerial colleagues into approving a payment on his behalf in the amount of EC$40,000. The payment to be made to Mr. Hughes for calls he claims to have made from his own home phone on behalf of the Government of Anguilla. All of these calls were made between twelve and fifteen years ago.

The Chief Minister was interviewed by a most “accommodating host” on “To the Point” on Monday January 16, 2012. And true to form, with an assortment of lies and other distractions, he tried to explain away the fact that he was able to get his colleagues in EXCO to agree to pay him EC$40,000 for calls made from his home phone some fifteen years ago.

Do you know that from time to time we are called upon to make a conscious decision to fight whether we want to or not? Well, sometimes we have some big giants in our lives and we have to be willing and prepared to fight in order to conquer them.
When our lives are under threat we have no other option but to choose to fight. When that happens we must have a made up mind like David, if we choose to take that course.

Fellow Anguillians, permit me to address you for the next few minutes as a former Chief Minister of Anguilla, a businessman and an extremely concerned Anguillian. Firstly, on behalf of my wife Ruby and on my own behalf I extend Happy New Year greetings to all Anguillians, residents and visitors to our shores. We wish you good health, happiness, success and God’s continued guidance in 2012 and beyond.

As the longest standing Minister of Finance in Anguilla and as a concerned Anguillian I feel strongly moved to comment on the Chief Minister’s Press Statement of January 3, 2012 in which the main issue is that the UK Government has not yet assented to our Budget.