Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/5853/-1/140/
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CONSTITUTIONAL FORUM APRIL 28 Full Internal Government Major Issue
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The Ronald Webster Park, which featured prominently over the years as the main venue for large public gatherings in the political life of Anguilla, will be the location on April 28 for a big meet-the-people forum on the island’s constitution.
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Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming
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Chief Minister, Osbourne Fleming, speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, April 15, said the Government and the team working on amendments to the Constitution had decided to take their views to the people of Anguilla and to get theirs in turn.
“We want to take our views to them not only on radio alone. We want to sit and discuss with them and to that end we are planning to have a forum on the 28th of April at the Ronald Webster Park,” he announced. “At that meeting the members of the negotiating team, comprising the Elected Members and some persons from the community, will be present to discuss what we have considered as amendments which should be included in the Constitution. We will be giving the people of Anguilla a chance to ask questions and make suggestions and for us to prepare a Constitution not for the Government or a select group, but for the people of Anguilla.”
One of the tedious matters under consideration is the stated position of the British Government with regard to Anguilla’s decision to pursue full internal self-government in which the powers and responsibilities of the Governor would be reduced and passed into the hands of the local Elected Representatives.
“I must also remind you that I have been thinking seriously on the British position that if we approach them asking for too much, we must come with a time-table for independence, Chief Minister Fleming told the reporters. “Speaking for myself, if that is the situation, I am calling on all Anguillians to think about it. Think about the fact that if we are to be muzzled indefinitely, we might have to set a time-table. It is clear. They [the British Government] have said to us: ‘you either come with what we will agree with or a time-table.’ I am not advocating anything but I am just saying that we must not forget the other option [independence] which is a possibility but I want the people of Anguilla to keep it in their minds.”
Mr. Fleming went on: “We want to move forward with the amendments to the Constitution quickly so that we can put them in the hands of the British Government. We are thinking about having it done before the next general election; it might not be possible but we are shooting for that event before the next election.”
He said that Anguilla had reached a point where it was now self-sufficient or, in other words, where it was now taking care of itself. “We thank the British Government, for all they have done for us but today we pay the piper every cent. We don’t get one penny from Her Majesty’s Government,” he declared. “If we have to prepare [for independence] let us prepare. The Chief Minister is not saying that is where we are moving forward to just now but we must have that option in our pocket.”
Mr. Fleming said he might be criticised for his statements but he thought he had an obligation to let the people of Anguilla know how he felt about the matter. “I think that the quicker we think about it may be the better,” he added.
Pressed by Ras B (Upbeat Radio Journalist), whether he thought that the issue of full internal self-government was off the cards for the British Government, and was something that Anguilla would like to have, and therefore the sentiments of the Anguilla Government and Anguillians were at odds with those of the British Government, the Chief Minister replied:
“I believe so. They have told us in front of our faces and have communicated just recently in writing [in March] that: ‘if you are coming to us in your discussions to talk about the devolution of the Governor’s powers, walk with your time-table.’ What I am saying Ras B is that we must understand that we must have something in our back pocket. If it is the time-table, we must get it ready.”
Asked by Nat Hodge (Editor of the Anguillian) what was his understanding of full internal self-government in the context of Anguilla, Mr. Fleming responded: “In short, it is the devolution of the powers of the Governor. As it stands now under our Constitution, the Governor has enormous powers. One example is that the Public Service Commission is now run in Anguilla under the auspices of the Deputy Governor or Governor…If the commission, for example, recommends Ras B to be in charge of Radio Anguilla and the Governor and the Deputy Governor say no, it is no. We should have a situation where appointments should be made on the advice of the Public Service Commission. That is not the case. That is one of the powers of the Governor that we are not satisfied with plus so many others. Full internal self-government really in short means taking quite a bit of the powers of the Governor and putting it in the hands of the Elected Representatives.
“The Elected Representatives are the main people who run the Government. However, we have no control over the police, the public service and quite a few things. So when it comes to those subjects, all we are afforded is an audience with the Governor. He is not compelled to take any advice from us when it comes to his subjects.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Fleming referred to a letter to him from British Minister for the Overseas Territories, Meg Munn, who indicated that the time was fast approaching for the Governor to leave Anguilla at the end of his term of office. With that in mind she asked the Chief Minister what qualities the Anguilla Government desired of the person to be selected for the new appointment.
Mr. Fleming said: “The Governor must have some understanding of the culture and people of the region; secondly, the Governor must not be an agnostic. In short, he must not be a Governor who does not believe in God because a lot of them who come here do not believe in God and this is a Christian community; thirdly, he must be a person who is ready to listen to the Government and people of Anguilla; and fourthly, he must be someone who is easy to get along with and to understand the culture of the people of Anguilla.”