When there are such achievements in a society like prosperity embodying lucrative economic development, an abundance of money, full employment and good living, people usually lose their focus on other important matters. In Anguilla today, ours is a bustling society and there appears to be little time to seriously look at other parts of the equation which are necessary to complement many of the strides we are making in various areas of life.

Perhaps it may seem difficult to persons monitoring us, and even to many of our own people, that after two appointed commissions and so much effort, we are still nowhere as far as constitutional and electoral reform is concerned. We all appear to have fallen asleep on this matter and there needs to be a re-awakening to keep pace with some of our fellow Caribbean Overseas Territories, which are taking the lead in this area and our own development and responsibility as a progressive people. It seems that our leaders in particular have lost the spirit to press on since Britain does not appear to be supportive of Anguilla’s decision to pursue full internal self-government.

The truth is that there are no written proposals before the British Government to consider. It is all talk. During his recent visit to Anguilla, Leigh Turner, Director of the Overseas Territories, was obviously sceptical about such a desire which would mean a lessening of the Governor’s powers or responsibilities, but he nevertheless invited the Anguillians to submit their proposals for discussion. There is now too much delay on this matter which the Chief Minister promised would be pursued as a priority of his Government. Nothing is being heard about it and so The Anguillian is raising the issue to see whether there can be some follow-up work in the near future.

A next general election is due in Anguilla within the next two years and while there have been much discussion on various matters relating to electoral reform it may not be possible to effect any changes in this regard before then. The time is at hand when, with the expected exiting from the stage by some of our present politicians, the new leadership of Anguilla will need to have the necessary constitutional and administrative clout for the advancement of the island.

Anguilla did not have it easy before and after its revolution. It took sheer will and guts to struggle on and to acquire all it has achieved today. There are yet other obstacles to surmount. One of them is the desired constitutional reform. The island’s leaders and its people must awaken from their slumber, work on their proposals, submit them to the British Government and let the dialogue begin.

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