Is Leroy Rogers Still Speaker?

The Editor
The Anguillian

Dear Sir:

IS LEROY ROGERS STILL SPEAKER?

Oh dear, general elections in Anguilla are still some eight months away but already there appears to be much confusion on the island.
The latest thing I am hearing and reading about is the fiasco between Leroy Rogers, Speaker of the House of Assembly, and the leadership of the Anguilla United Front, the party now in Government.

Mr. Rogers is claiming to be somewhat of an architect of the United Front Government, stating that in the last general elections he agreed not to contest the Valley North seat to allow Eric Reid of the Anguilla National Alliance to do so. He explained that this followed the amalgamation or merger of both parties. He is now saying that he has been cast aside in favour of newcomer Neil Rogers whom the AUF is supporting instead.
I am not aware what the full story is although, in Mr. Roger’s letter in The Anguillian (of 2nd July 1004), he indicated with some remorse that one AUF big wig told him he could not provide the excitement and new blood the party needed.
I have to agree with him that there seems to be a let down. Some times however an agreement is negotiable at a later date and probably that’s why he was offered the post of Speaker of the House of Assembly again. Mr. Rogers is saying no to this even if he is offered more money. This is fair enough and quite principled on his part.
The truth may be that no one can say for sure how the election results will turn out, so his chance of becoming Speaker is really subject to that outcome and is therefore not a surety.
The question I have to ask, which has not been answered or alluded to by Mr. Rogers or Mr. Petty, the columnist, is whether Mr. Rogers is still Speaker of the House of Assembly. In my view, if he has resigned from the United Front which made him Speaker when it assumed office almost four and half years ago, he should now resign from his position in the House as well having quitted the party.
Something does not seem right for him to remain as Speaker while so deeply involved in a political squabble with the party that put him there. This too may be a question of principle for him to consider.

Sylvia Richardson-Gumbs
St. Thomas, USVI.