It was interesting to see this week, commencing on the same day, several hours apart, two regional meetings hosted by Anguilla at the beautiful CuisinArt Resort and Spa, each competing in its own way for the island’s attention and support.

The first meeting involved the Chief Ministers of the British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean. They were working towards a common position on matters relating to borrowing and other issues to build, as it were, a united front and a wall of solidarity in preparation for what might be a critical and thorny annual consultative conference with the British Government in December. The second gathering was the 50th Meeting of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Authority involving the Prime Ministers of the Independent Islands and the Chief Ministers of three of the Overseas Territories: Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands which hold membership in the sub-regional organisation. This meeting was also aimed at arriving at a consensus on various matters relating to their own interests of economic and social cooperation, and unity at the sub-regional level, as well as their relations and dealings with countries at the international level.

The two meetings, though separate and distinct, may have appeared to be an awkward situation with the two statuses of islands at the crossroads, but with certain allegiances to each other as Caribbean territories yet divided in terms of governance. It is here that we wish to look at Anguilla’s position as a longstanding Associate Member of the OECS as are the other two Overseas Territories mentioned above.

It is noteworthy that the OECS agenda covered many subject matters, but there was no mention of the OECS Economic Union and its Task Force which is supposed to bring about that type of unity. That has been a recent hot issue which also emphasised the free movement of workers throughout the territories. There is no doubt that some kind of regional integration is inevitable, perhaps beyond the OECS, but the trappings of being an Overseas Territory, certainly put Anguilla at a disadvantage of becoming involved in the proposed Economic Union, although the island has benefitted greatly as a member of various organisations and institutions associated with the OECS. Even if Anguilla, a once outlaw and breakaway island in the region, occasioned by its historic secession from St. Kitts-Nevis, was free to participate in such a union, it is not certain that the independent-minded Anguillians might have wished to be involved anyway.

Certainly, small islands like Anguilla, with peculiar circumstances, need to be cautious of, and perhaps stay clear of, the implications and functional arrangements which such an Economic Union may lead to. Anguilla also has certain links with CARICOM, but has no trade relations with the rest of that union and does not appear to be even regarded as being any part of that island-grouping when Anguillians enter the immigration lines in the member countries.

While the OECS leaders have been shouting Economic Union, it appears that some are also considering political union. Such a union appears to be only an intellectual concept. It is easier said than done when political power is so sweet. No Caribbean island or political group would easily give up sovereignty and its own governance to others in the region. Certainly not Anguilla.

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