Chief Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, the Hon. Osbourne Fleming, says that the Anguilla Government will now have to pay the high cost of keeping some, if not all, of the four British policemen on the island.

The House of Assembly in session on Tuesday February 13

He told the House of Assembly on Tuesday that the police officers’ contracts were now coming to an end and the British Government had decided not to renew them. He said the position of the British was that if they were to remain on the island Anguilla would have to meet the cost of having them.

“I want to assure the people of Anguilla that in spite of the cost we have taken a decision that they will stay – if not all, some,” the Chief Minister said. “We realise that their presence is critical to Anguilla’s development. The Minister of Finance did not cater for this, but wherever we can get the money from we have to find it because we cannot allow all of them to leave.”

Mr. Fleming was at the time speaking on a motion brought to the Anguilla House of Assembly by Minister of Finance, Victor Banks, to authorise the Government to borrow ten million dollars from a bank as an overdraft facility in support of the current budget.

A recent Task Force operation

“The overdraft facility might come in right in time for us to keep the British police here,” the Chief Minister stated.

Opposition Member, Hubert Hughes, interupted Mr. Fleming’s delivery with a question on a point of order.

“Mr. Speaker, while the Chief Minister is on his feet, I would like for him to explain what is the British position today on their obligation to Good Government Funds when it comes to law and order, security and police on Anguilla?” he asked and went on: “I think that obligation should require them to help us with technical assistance in policing.”
Replying, the Chief Minister thanked the British Government for supporting the police officers’ stay on the island. He explained that the Good Government Fund was being managed by the Governor’s Office. The Anguilla would still be able to access that Fund but not to pay the salaries of the policemen.

He said there were three UK officers at Inspector level and the other was a Constable and that the cost of keeping one of them in Anguilla was over EC$300,000 a year. “We cannot allow all of them to go and must now find the money to pay them,” the Chief Minister added.

The British police officers have been giving much-needed support to the local members of the Royal Anguilla Police Force. The have been largely working with the Task Force which also comprises a number of local officers.

The Task Force is mainly responsible for controlling illegal firearms and drugs and has made many successes in these areas of crime. It is generally believed that that the work of the Task Force, carried out by searches and other means throughout the island, has been responsible for a lessening of criminal activities. The British police have therefore received the support of the Government and the majority of people in Anguilla who are desirous of seeing a high level of law and order and the control of illegal firearms and drugs in a developing Anguilla.

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