“It is good to get out and about. I don’t want to sit in the Governor’s Office as it were in my ivory tower. I really want to get a real understanding of how people think, what their problems are and whether I can help or not.” Those comments were made by His Excellency Governor Alan Huckle in an interview with Nat Hodge, Editor of The Anguillian on Monday, October 11. He was at the time visiting the office of the newspaper as part of his continuing tour of the island and meeting its people.

“Even though I have been here I think for five months, I still got some visiting to do,” Mr. Huckle acknowledged. “There are still lots of places I haven’t yet seen. I realise that there are organisations I haven’t yet visited and so I apologise to them but I will still be visiting them.”

L-R: Nat Hodge interviewing Governor Alan Huckle

The Governor was asked to comment on some matters that involved his immediate attention.

He replied that among the first things he realised was that people were worried about the investigations into the three murders and the disappearance of one person. He was pleased that, with the help of other people and the agreement of the police here, he was able to get detectives to investigate the cases and that as a result some one had been arrested and charged with the murder of Jamida Webster. He stated that it was now left for the court processes to go through.

“There are the other murders to investigate which I know the team is doing; but that was certainly the first thing that confronted me and I was able to do at least something about that,” he said.

Governor Huckle and staff of The Anguillian

Governor Huckle continued: “The next area is that we got to prepare well for the elections which will come up next year. I came in after the registration process, but obviously with the Elections Supervisor, Colville Petty, we got to ensure that those elections are properly run…After the elections, once we have a settled Government in power, I would like for them to see if people wanted to look again at the constitutional reform process. I think there are certain things on the elections side where there can be reforms but that’s for the people of Anguilla to decide. I mean for example: Are the number of seats right? Could we have a larger Assembly? Should we consider continuous registration? What about Nominated Members – are those right or not? Should we have elections at large? These are issues that I think Anguillians could probably and rightly consider. They can’t be considered before these elections; but after the elections I think that one could actually see whether the Constitution is right and if necessary make those constitutional changes.

“There is the wider risk of the relationship with the UK and the Governor’s position. I think that would be looked at in the round with other Overseas Territories, but it does not preclude by any means Anguilla looking at that as well.

“I would like to encourage the current Committee to produce a report to say what issues they have looked at because that would give a basis on which future consideration would be based.”

The Governor spoke on a third matter.

“The other issue, working with the Deputy Governor, has been on public service reform,” Mr. Huckle disclosed. “We will be fairly soon announcing the appointment of a Public Sector Integrity Board and a Register of Interests. That would be helpful and will reinforce measures of transparency and honesty that we want to encourage in Anguilla.”

Asked how he was settling down on the island, the Governor had this to say: “Firstly, I am going to enjoy my time here. It’s a lovely island and it got some wonderful attractions. Secondly, I found the people to be very friendly, very warm, very accommodating and very professional in what they do. I very much welcome the friendliness with which I have been received in Anguilla. I have had a lot of people round for discussions and I have met a lot of people and it has been great fun. They have been very kind to me and I have appreciated that kindness.”

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