It is three weeks since the newly-appointed Governor, His Excellency Andrew George, arrived on Anguilla to assume his appointment and it is early yet for him to settle in and get down to what he hopes will be his pleasant task of governing the island. But he is fully cognisant of the way forward and what his responsibilities are, as a tea-time interview with him, on Tuesday this week, clearly revealed.

Governor Andrew George

It was a lonely afternoon for him at the just-refurbished Government House, his official residence at Old Ta. The domestic workers there had all gone home, but not before preparing his supper – just for him to heat up in the microwave oven. Everybody at his nearby office building, which he shares with Deputy Governor, the Hon. Stanley Reid, staff members and the Executive Council, had also left for the day.

His life-long companion, his Thailand-born wife, Mrs. Watanalak George, whom he married 29 years ago in September, has not yet joined him. She is winding down a post of teaching the Thai language in London and expects to arrive in Anguilla in September. Mr. George who is looking forward to her arrival says, “She is a very adaptable person. She has been with me on posting time in Australia, Paraguay, in Indonesia and lived in England for up to ten years. She has had to make a lot of adaptation and has done it very successfully.”

Government House nestled in a tropical setting in Old Ta

She is expected to quickly adjust in little, but busy, Anguilla and the women groups on the island no doubt already have a number of chores lined up for her. The couple have two children. Their daughter, Arada, 26, is working in London with a market research company after completing studies in Business Administration at Birmingham University. Their son, Michael 24, has completed a Geology degree at Manchester University, but is about to go off to Japan for a year to teach English. Arada and hopefully the Governor’s father will be coming to Anguilla for Christmas.

Governor George, who has had several overseas postings, has served in Thailand on three occasions as Third, Second and First Secretary respectively, serving in the latter position as Head of Chancery or Head of the Political Section. He has enjoyed all his postings everywhere but in his own words: “Thailnd will always have a special place [in my heart] since it is where I met my wife and where she comes from and where I have spent quite a long time learning the language and about the culture.”

The Governor grew up in Scotland, plays golf to some extent, enjoys reading and walking and loves history which he studied at university level.
He likes Anguilla and thinks it is a beautiful place in which to live and work. He was asked how he saw his role as Governor. “As I said in my swearing-in speech, I see it very much as a question of partnership working with the Government of Anguilla which has the major responsibility for development of the country,” he replied. He noted that there had been rapid development in recent years which is continuing, “but needs to be considered in a way that doesn’t do damage to the natural environment or the social fabric of the country.”

He has not had the opportunity of dealing with Anguilla as an Overseas Territories before actually coming to the island. This is quite unlike the case with former Governor Alan Huckle who has had high level contact and influence in Anguilla regarding various matters while serving in Barbados. Asked how that affected his familiarity with the island and the issues at hand, he replied in part: “I have spent a number of months in London getting briefed and doing training to prepare me for the job…Most of my carrier has been spent in countries which are developing economies so I have seen issues and some of the problems which are not so different. Even in very far-flung parts of the world you find that problems of economic and social change Anguilla is facing are not too different from those of other countries.”

Responding to a question relating to his work of administering Anguilla on behalf the United Kingdom, Governor George stated: “Every Governor has an individual style of doing things but there are some policy lines that we have to follow and what the Constitution lays down as the work of the Governor.”

One of the matters he is looking forward to is the submission of the draft report from the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission, headed by Justice Don Mitchell. He commented that the change process will ultimately “need a lot of careful consideration and deliberation and there will likely be several rounds of discussions between officials from London and Anguilla on any changes to be implemented. It would be unlikely to be a very quick process.” He could not actually give an estimated time for the conclusion of the discussions and the preparation of a new Constitution, not being familiar with details. He was aware that constitutional talks had been going on in the British Virgin Islands for sometime now. He observed that the process usually takes a long time “as a constitution is something that is supposed to last a long time.”

Questioned as to what other issues he would like to see dealt with, he replied that it had been clear to him in his varied preparation for coming to the island that there were various issues of concern to the people of Anguilla are concerned. Those issues include sustainable development, the way that economic and social changes are impacting law and order and other matters on the island, the general issues of good governance such as transparent and open government, the actions of the public service and the police and the need for the people to be fully consulted and brought into the decision-making process. Other issues he said were children’s rights and human rights issues in general.
The Governor was told that his coming here was an historic occasion in that he had begun his duties with an Anguillian Deputy Governor appointed for the first time. He was asked to comment on the obvious partnership. “I think it is a very important step forward...that there is now an Anguillian Deputy Governor and I have already struck up a very good working relationship with Stanley Reid. I think he is a man of considerable ability and great integrity and is performing his job extremely well.”

Asked about Mr. Reid’s functions, he said: “We will have to work out a little bit because we will now have another appointment as Head of the Governor’s Office - Tony Alloway - appointed from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and arriving late August. He will be working more on the side of relations with the Foreign Office of the UK Government on matters such as what used to be called ‘the Good Government Fund’ now the ‘Overseas Territories Programme Fund.’” The post of Staff Officer, presently held by Joe Legg and involving the management of the Governor’s Office, will continue as part of the staffing arrangement.

Asked whether the coming appointment was added as a result of Anguilla having a local Deputy Governor, Mr. George had this to say: “It is a system that has been used in some of the other territories.” He said that the Deputy Governor’s focus “will be more on the public service in Anguilla.” Earlier, asked whether his work on Anguilla would be easier with the appointment of the local Deputy Governor, he commented: “I think it will because Mr. Reid, being part of the Anguillian community, knows intimately what goes on here, understands the workings of the Anguilla Public Service and will be very well able to share with me that knowledge and help me understand much better what goes on here. I think the Governor is in a very unique position having different hats to wear. I suppose that can become complicated at times. But relations are very good. We all work together very well…”

Mr. George was asked whether there were any goals he had in mind to achieve during his three or four years in Anguilla. “I think the way is not so much for me to set goals to accomplish,” he responded. “It is for the Government and the people of Anguilla to set the goals and it is for me to work with them to ensure that they are accomplished in the right way.”

The Governor added that he was looking forward to good relations with the Government and other elected representatives and working in partnership with all concerned in administering the island. In the meantime, as part of his settling down process, he has embarked on a series of tours around the island, as well as visits to Government departments and offices, to meet some of the people and to familiarise himself with Anguilla generally. “Anguilla is a very lovely place,” he smiled at the end of the interview as he relaxed on the patio at Government House after tea.

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