Mr. Leroy Rogers has released for publication the following letters between himself and the leadership of the Anguilla United Front which are self-explanatory.

Letter to the United Front Leadership

I have resorted to putting these few words on paper before I am considered unmannerly and disrespectful to the leadership of the United Front Organization. I have asked that they be read in my absence so that my position on the matter could be clear, and secondly to register my protest for the way I have been treated as a United Front principal from its inception.

Mr. Leroy Rogers

It grieves me to have to write words contained herein, because I have always protected the leadership of the Anguilla United Front (AUF) organization as honourable, just and loyal. In the recesses of my mind I still believe this is the case, but some instigators have hijacked the AUF for personal reasons and have steered it in treacherous waters.

I have been utterly taken aback on three different occasions by the manner in which my candidacy for the AUF for the Valley North Constituency has been dismissed by the AUF leadership. At one point I was insulted by an offer made to me in the Chief Minister’s Office that centred around increasing the Speaker’s salary in an attempt to convince me to remain in the position, secondly I was again insulted in a meeting at my home by a leading AUF member who stated that the AUF needs new blood and excitement that people like me cannot bring. Thirdly I was again insulted by being invited to this meeting and told which of my supporters I could not bring. In particular one of the persons was a supporter of the AUF, voted for the AUF, but agrees with my position on this issue. It seems that this is the only reason why he is not wanted at the meeting. It is obvious that the meeting is stacked against me.

The double standards that emerge with regard to my candidacy are evident especially when one considers the statement that the AUF needs youth. The fact is that some AUF members have been serving as elected members for over two decades and are contemplating running again. In contrast I have not yet served one term as an elected representative of the people of Anguilla. I agree that the AUF needs youth, however, there are more appropriate ways to involve younger persons in government and the legislature rather than encouraging me to bow out of representing the Valley North constituency.

In fact, these double standards were made abundantly clear to me at a meeting with the Hon. Chief Minister and his colleagues at his office. He stated to me that a primary could be used to choose the candidate to represent the AUF in the Valley North Constituency in the next general election. At that same meeting one of the Special Assistants stated that she did not know where she stood because more than one person wanted to run for the AUF in her constituency. The Chief Minister’s response was, “you are the candidate”. There was no mention of a primary for that constituency.

I would like to suggest to you what should have transpired when someone approached the AUF leadership to run as the candidate for the Valley North constituency knowing the agreement for me to run in 2005. The AUF should have first discussed the matter with me to enquire as to my interest in running for the AUF, something that was never done. Secondly if I was willing to run for office, the AUF organization should have supported me. I am sure that the Special Assistant who was not sure of her standing within the AUF leadership was not offered an increase in salary or cast aside for youth.

The above bothers me particularly when one considers the contribution I have made to the AUF over the last four years and to my country over the past twenty. If it means that I must stand alone on principle I will.

In any event it is my opinion that the agreement made prior to the 2000 election, that I would be the AUF candidate for the 2005 election, cannot be overridden by a primary or any such mechanism. As you must recall one of the conditions of the AUF was that I had to openly endorse the Hon. Eric Reid on the political platform, and campaign for him. In some cases I was castigated by my supporters for endorsing Mr. Reid, but I did it for the good of the country and I did it without reservation. This is the type of unreserved support I expected from the AUF leadership.

I was told in one of the meetings we had to resolve this matter that even though there was an agreement “nothing in politics is guaranteed”. What then is the point in making agreements if nothing is guaranteed? If you cannot fulfill an agreement with one man how can you fulfill an agreement with 12,000?

Everybody here tonight must agree on one thing. The issue is not that I would lose the seat as the AUF candidate with both factions fully supporting me. There is no doubt in anybody’s mind that I would win with the true support of both factions. My competence as a minister and legislator also cannot be questioned. The issue then must be a personal one by those who wish to hijack the AUF. I wish that the leadership of the AUF would recognize this.

The AUF leadership will realize, at some point, the unreserved loyalty and support I have given its organization. I never entered politics to be the most respected and longest serving speaker in the region. I served my country in this capacity because this is where I was asked to make a contribution and I did it with distinction.

I am confident that I would do the same as a minister of government. I would bury myself in the job and deliver great things for the people of my constituency and the people of Anguilla.

The issue of the AUF candidate for the Valley North constituency should have been resolved last year when it was known that another candidate was interested in running with the AUF. There should have been a resounding answer that the AUF already had a candidate for the upcoming election, particularly when I made my intention to run known in a meeting with my factional leader and a leader of the ANA Valley North Cell a little over a year ago. Both these gentlemen assured me that I would have their unequivocal support as well as that of the AUF as the candidate in the next election. This has turned out not to be the case and for this I feel very betrayed.

This uncertainty has gone unchecked for too long and I will not be put in the position to be further embarrassed or placed at a disadvantage because of the indecisiveness of others. This indecisiveness has dragged on and festered so long that damage has already been done to my standing as a founding AUF member and an unswerving supporter of this government. As a result it is clear to me who the AUF leadership is supporting as the Valley North candidate, and the meeting today is not designed to resolve the matter amicably, but rather to have me bow out.

I am saddened to see that the AUF leadership does not recognize my value to the organization as a candidate in the upcoming elections. The AUF did not stand by me when I needed it most. My conscience is clear. When my party was standing alone and needed me I was there through the many difficult days in the House of Assembly and the many court battles to support my leader and a young AUF in standing for the letter and the spirit of the law, and for principle, while at the same time changing the direction of Anguilla. I will stand for principle once again and state categorically that I will contest the next general election as a candidate for the Valley North Constituency.

Even with most of the foregoing I would have attended this meeting today to which I was invited to resolve this matter. However, I want my absence to be formally registered as a protest. The overriding issue that dissuaded me from attending was the stipulated condition as to who I could, or could not, bring as my support.

I would like to express my thanks and gratitude to AUF for entrusting me with the position of Speaker of the Anguilla House of Assembly, and for allowing me to serve my country and people in this capacity. I would also like to thank those members of the AUF who have stood by me during this difficult and very embarrassing time.

Leroy C Rogers
June 2, 2004

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