Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5452/-1/140/
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Stanley Reid After A Year Of Service As The First Anguillian Deputy Governor
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Without doubt, an Anguillian Deputy Governor is truly a historical moment and at this point, is an important part of the celebration of 40 years of a continuing revolution. Stanley Reid’s one year tenure as the first Anguillian in this extremely pivotal position has not had any controversy and in fact has been a rather smooth transition. Many people have been quite interested in finding out how he has settled into his new role and The Anguillian was granted a unique opportunity to have a sit down chat with him at his newly renovated office at Government House in Old Ta.
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Hon. Stanley Reid
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In order to understand the significance of the position, it is first important to find out exactly what the Deputy Governor’s responsibilities are. The Deputy Governor is primarily responsible for the management of the public service. The ultimate responsibility is the Governor’s but he has delegated that responsibility to Mr. Reid. He is also responsible for Disaster Management and shares responsibility for the internal audit function of the government with the Permanent Secretary of Finance. Moreover, the Deputy Governor is a member of the Executive Council and the House of Assembly. When asked if he has a vote in Executive Council, Mr. Reid replied, “generally decisions in Ex Co are taken by consensus. In relation to issues that fall under the Governor’s office, our views generally carry significant weight. In other matters we try to make as much of an impression as we are able to.”
In attempting to bring to the readers a complete understanding, Mr. Reid was also asked to explain the UK’s role in Anguilla to which he replied, “primarily, the UK through the Governor is very involved in the areas of security, the public service, international relations, regulation of the financial services and aviation matters, It also has the overall function of ensuring that good governance prevails in Anguilla.” Years ago, a considerable amount of funding was pulled from Anguilla from the UK and therefore he was queried as to the actual financial support given to Anguilla. It was explained that if one thinks of support in terms of money, there is none. However, if one thinks of it in terms of resources and services, there is still some financial support provided.
In speaking with the former Deputy Governor, Mr. Mark Capes, he mentioned that the UK would welcome giving Anguilla independence if it were so petitioned, however Anguilla is not organizationally or infrastructurally ready for such a drastic change. Yet, over the years, it has been noticeable that the UK has been taking more of a back seat in terms of governing Anguilla. Mr Reid spoke on whether that trend would continue as he said, “over the years Mr. Banks, during the Budget presentations, has repeatedly built on a theme which speaks to us Anguillians ‘paying our own way’. Ministers have been trying to put into the minds of Anguillians the fact that we need to handle our own affairs. In that respect I would have to say that Anguilla is continuing to prepare itself for greater autonomy.”
On a more personal note, the readers might be interested to know more about Stanley Reid and therefore he was asked about his career, educational background and personal life. In terms of his qualification for the job it is important to note that first and foremost, he is a qualified lawyer. When he graduated from the ALHCS, he did a stint as a Customs Assistant and then spent two years as a teacher at the ALHCS. Shortly thereafter, he went off to qualify for a career in Law. He studied for three years at the UWI Cave Hill Campus in Barbados before receiving a Bachelor of Laws Degree and then acquired a Legal Education Certificate after spending two years at Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad. Upon returning to Anguilla in 1993, he worked for ten years in the Attorney General’s Chambers. In 2003, he received a large promotion to the position of Permanent Secretary Public Administration where after some time was afforded the opportunity to act as Deputy Governor.
Mr. Reid was plainly asked how it felt to be the first Anguillian Deputy Governor to which he replied, “well, I do recognize that it is an historic moment and I do have some pride in being the first but I also recognize that there is an enormous weight upon me to ensure that there is no basis for regret and that future Anguillians can continue to be Deputy Governors.” After having one year to get accustomed to the new role, it is certain that the Anguillian public would want to know how he has settled in, what challenges have arisen and finally what are some of the perks of being the Deputy Governor. “I have settled in well. Of course I had a sense of what it was like to be Deputy Governor from the time I acted while serving as Permanent Secretary. In addition before Governor George arrived, Mark Capes was acting Governor and I was already acting DG for two months and therefore the transition was easy. Because of the fact that Governor George has a great personality, he has been easy to work with. He is receptive to me and I am certainly receptive to him. In terms of the challenges, the public service had to get used to an Anguillian Deputy Governor. There was some testing done by some persons to see how far they could go. Having set the lines and boundaries from the outset, persons I think now know exactly what I stand for and how I operate. One of the best things about the position is the opportunity to change certain aspects of our culture one of which is trying to create a greater sense of openness and transparency so that people feel comfortable in querying the things we do. The easy thing to do, and it seems so commonplace in Anguilla, is to say that everything is confidential and that we cannot talk about it. There needs to be good dialogue to ensure good governance. A lot of what people say they cannot speak about is in truth public knowledge,” said Mr. Reid.
The term for the Deputy Governor is from 2006-2011, five years in total. There are no constitutional limits on how long one man can serve, although it is not sure how it will be dealt with in the future as the powers that be may want to open it up to other people. In terms of working with HE The Governor, Mr Reid mentioned that it was a pleasant experience. “What I appreciate is the ability to talk with him and get real responses from him. He allows me to actually do my job and yet is always available to me for consultation. Although I am essentially in charge of the public service, there is never an issue that the Governor is not aware of.”
In Mr. Reid’s free time, he likes gardening. He said, “persons might have seen my work at the Anguilla Beautification Club’s Annual Flower and Garden Show over the past three or so years. I am particularly proud of my cacti collection. I also do a lot of walking and some bike riding and I am trying to get very active in table tennis. I am a member of the Optimist Club as well, and I also consider myself a taxi driver as I take my children everywhere to their various activities.” He reported that his family has adjusted quite well to the new life. His family is quite proud of the accomplishments and accolades he has obtained and the new job has certainly not interfered in the way they relate to each other. In terms of major lifestyle changes he did mention that there is a certain public element to the position of Deputy Governor that has required adjustments. Also, being Anguillian means that the public expects that he be more accessible. Whereas persons would have been hesitant to call Mark Capes, the former Deputy Governor, that hesitation does not apply to Mr. Reid. His attendance as many different functions is also required as he especially tries to make it a point to go to functions dealing with youth to demonstrate their importance in Anguilla’s national development.
In closing Mr. Reid had a few words to say, “one thing I would say is that I think I have been blessed with the support of the public. For the most part I feel I have been well received and for me to be successful I need the support of the people and for that I am truly grateful.”
The public and readers may find that the success Stanley Reid has experienced is due greatly to the fact that he is the true model of a perfect public servant. His humble attitude and sincere care for his country and countrymen serves as the guiding principle in his work. He is also a family man with a highly respected and educated wife, Dawn Reid, who is also the mother of his two children Khesim and Sekani. His family values, years of experience in working with the public combined with his intense intellectual training and his constant desire to improve himself make the Honourable Mr. Stanley Reid a true leader. Anguilla wishes him well and certainly will continue to support him.
-Jason Allen