Letter From Fabian Fahie

Fabian Fahie
Little Harbour
Anguilla

March 28th, 2007

The Editor
The Anguillian

Dear Sir,

Re: Cap Juluca - Why I must Support ANTIL

I have been subjected to much attack and criticism by a number of individuals for my stance in support of Anguilla National Tourism Investment Limited (ANTIL). Such attacks and criticisms have not and will not dull my commitment to and support for ANTIL in its efforts to represent the interest of Anguillians in general to become participants in the ownership of Cap Juluca, in the course of its acquisition by new owners.

My critics and detractors claim loudly and continuously that my active support and assistance rendered to ANTIL puts me in a conflict in relation to my engagement with the Government of Anguilla. I am currently appointed on contract as Senior Adviser in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, Investment, Commerce and Tourism. They have called for me to resign this position and by implication for the Government to fire me, if I do not. They feel that my support for ANTIL and its aims are in conflict with the aims and policy of the Government and with the interest of the Government and people of Anguilla on the Cap Juluca issue.

I wish to state emphatically that I am not in a conflict for actively supporting ANTIL, while contracted as an adviser with the Government. If there is anything questionable about the situation, it does not amount to a conflict. I challenge those who claim that I am in a conflict to show to the public how the conflict arises. They must demonstrate that to support and assist ANTIL is contrary to the Government’s public position on Cap Juluca. They must show that it is against the interest of the Government. They must prove that it would set back (not advance) the Government’s call for economic empowerment of Anguillians, set out in its approved general policy document, adopted from its 2005 election Manifesto, “Steering the Right Course”.

The ideas and objectives that ANTIL represents have also come in for much attack and criticism, even from individuals from whom you would not expect such criticism. The other patriotic Anguillians who came together to create ANTIL are belittled and vilified for daring to challenge the people of Anguilla so seek a seat at the most important tables of economic power and decision making in Anguilla, as full fledged partners in ownership. Some detractors, it appears seem to think the promoters of ANTIL do not know their place to dare to organize so that Anguillians in general could have the opportunity to become significant shareholders in Cap Juluca. Cap Juluca, the realization of the vision conceived by the Anguillian and British Governments in 1977 – 1979 to create a flag ship small (independent) luxury hotel on Maundays Bay to define Anguilla’s tourism.

I SUPPORT ANTIL BECAUSE

I support ANTIL because it is an effort by committed Anguillians to create a business organization to be owned by and on behalf of all Anguillians collectively, both directly and indirectly. I support ANTIL because a key part of its mission is to ensure that our people become effective owners, not owners without a say in the “commanding heights of the economy” not only in the secondary businesses and sectors. This ownership may be in the form of a significant minority stake in the shares of a company with foreign joint venture partners, majority ownership or 100% ownership of shareholding in leading hotels and other large scale tourism enterprises.

I support ANTIL because it is seeking to achieve for our people, what has been achieved in banking. I support it because it represents a worthy aspiration articulated on behalf of all Anguillians that will reap major returns in the future, in the same way that I supported the Hon. James Ronald Webster back in 1980 when he articulated a vision for a social security system for Anguilla and had the courage and determination to carry it through against a backdrop of opposition in “high places” and lack of support among the people in general. Who would have “thunk it” back in 1980 that the Social Security system would have developed into the institution it is today.

I support ANTIL because its promoters are seeking to follow a path similar to that followed by the promoters of the National Bank of Anguilla (NBA) in 1984-85, when they too had a dream for a Bank that would be truly owned by a wide cross section of the Anguillian community and that would serve the needs of the community. I support ANTIL because just as NBA’s promoters acted on behalf of the people and did not invest shares ahead of the people, ANTIL’s promoters for all their efforts have refrained from investing funds from their own pockets lest it be misconstrued that they have set up the company first and foremost as a means to achieve profit for themselves. Hence they approached leading Anguillian enterprises with broadbased ownership to be the initial owners.

40 YEARS OF THE ANGUILLA REVOLUTION

This year is forty years since the Anguilla (political) revolution of 1967. The economic revolution is yet to be accomplished. This is a pivotal year in this respect. And Cap Juluca is the test case. Either we are successful in ensuring that Anguillians become part owners of Cap Juluca and it continues to serve Anguilla and its people in the role it has so ably played or Cap Juluca becomes history and the economic empowerment of our people is dealt a major blow, from which it would take a long time to recover.

Personally, history will have to say that I always sought in my career to advance the economic cause of the people of Anguilla in general, not the cause of the few. That has been my guiding principle as a “development activist”, it still is and will continue to the case. There is no reason therefore for me to be deterred in my avocation by the current wave of criticism. What is new? I am not surprised and expected it, just as I have been criticized perhaps not as loudly, when I was involved in the creation of the Social Security system, of NBA and of Anglec. I have never let myself be held back in what I believe, because my position was unpopular and I will not do so now.

In the end, I believe that Anguillians are wise, at least there is a silent majority, who time and again have shown their wisdom in my view, when called upon to make choices, whether politically in elections or economically in relation to national entities such as Anglec, NBA and Social Security. I know that they will continue to be wise.

I support ANTIL because I support the people of Anguilla

Marcel Fahie