Over To The People

These are exciting and crucial times in Anguilla in one way or another and more and more our people are being called upon to play an important and decisive role in the affairs of their island home.

The constitutional and electoral review process is certainly the kind of event which must be of great national concern to all of us. Our people have already been exposed to this task, having over the past three years participated in a number of town hall meetings on the subject and given their views on various issues. The matter is being taken a step further towards a conclusion with the appointment of a new Commission under the chairmanship of the island’s much-respected jurist, retired Judge Don Mitchell, CBE, QC.

While not all of the commissioners are gifted alike, it is expected that under the able leadership of Mr. Mitchell the Commission will get down to serious business and eventually submit a report that would have a significant impact on the constitutional and electoral future of Anguilla. If we are to create a niche for our island in these times to which we have come, we have to take a determined stand on every issue that hinders our progress. If there are matters in our constitution or electoral processes that are wrong or otherwise unhelpful to our aspirations, it is our duty and right to seek to change them. Our future generations will not forgive us if we neglect to set the stage on which they must perform their civil lives.

Unlike the previous Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee, this Commission has been given a time frame of six months to complete its work, although the Governor stated that the pace of the discussions rests with Anguilla alone. The former Committee did a great deal of ground work and the feeling is that there is no need to delay the process, but to get it up and running and completed in the shortest possible time. Justice Mitchell doesn’t seem to be bothered about the six months allotted to the Commission and spoke about the Turks and Caicos Islands having only four months to do its job. He has made it clear that he has no time to fool around, but to get the work done and over with. In this he must have the overwhelming support of every Anguillian and belonger at home and abroad.
Government must ensure that the Commission has the budget to finance any travel it may think necessary to obtain the views of Anguillians abroad, the expert advice it may require or any other needs it may have to complete its mission quickly. The most important contributors to the constitutional and electoral reform process must be the indigenous people of Anguilla. They are known to have forthright concerns and views on various matters of national concern; they have analytical and fiercely independent minds and it is now over to them once more to take a stand. They must speak freely and will be heard.