Second Nominated Member and Deputy Speaker in the Anguilla House of Assembly, Claudel Romney, was in the hot seat on Tuesday and Thursday this week. He presided over the sitting of the House for the first time in the absence of the Speaker, Leroy Rogers, who left the island some days before.

Romney was welcomed to the Speaker’s Chair by the Representative for Road North, Edison Baird, who said he was proud to see him in that position. Baird recalled their years of study abroad and academic achievements and hoped that their examples would encourage young people to further their education and return to serve their country.

The Opposition Member admired how well Mr. Romney had begun to conduct the proceedings of the House as though he “had been in the chair for many years.” Mr. Baird did not succeed however in persuading him not to place time limits on the debates on a motion by Minister of Finance Victor Banks to enable the Government to borrow EC$40.5 million dollars for the Wallblake expansion.

Mr. Baird also pointed out that the Member for West End, Albert Hughes, was not present in the House [due to illness] and that owing to the importance of the business before the House, the debate should be deferred until Hughes could be present.

“I am not willing to dispense with the time limits,” Mr. Romney replied. “I do understand that Government business must go on. I understand that the Honourable Member from West End is not present in the House, but nonetheless Government business must go on. I too would like to sit at my seat and make contributions to this motion. Nonetheless, given the circumstances that the Speaker is not on the island…I have to be content in being here to ensure that Government business goes on as opposed to deferring the House.”

Mr. Baird also tried to impress on the Speaker that his (Romney’s) expertise as an accountant and business professional “could have a significant bearing on the course of the discussion in the House.” He repeated his request for the debate to be deferred saying to Mr. Romney: “this can be done until the Speaker can be in his chair, until you can take your substantive position as the Second Nominated Member. That would give the Member for West End an opportunity to be present so that the House can be fully constituted. This is because, in effect, the debate will be proceeding without the input of two important members of the House, an Elected Member and the Second Nominated Member…What is the rush, Mr. Speaker?”

The Speaker replied that the House had commenced its sitting in the knowledge that two members were absent. He offered Baird and the Opposition Leader Hubert Hughes four hours between themselves to speak on the motion. He added that he remained open to granting more time to them if they requested it and called on the Minister of Finance to proceed with his motion.

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