Many persons in Anguilla were jolted, almost like the effect of an earthquake, by the recent announcement that the Chief Minister had requested the CARCOM Heads of Government, meeting inSurinameon March 8-9, to send a ministerial delegation toAnguillato mediate between him and the Governor.
Mr. Hughes has always, since coming to office, accused Governor Alistair Harrison of working against his Government, but his renewed decision to call in CARCOM, for the second time,despite a previous visit (on which no report was ever made available), caught many by surprise. The immediate question was: what, if any, was the credible evidence to support the Chief Minister’s request for the CARICOM mission?
The Chief Minister’s decision to invite in a CARICOM mission appears to have been readily accepted by the Heads of Government and there has not been any information to suggest that a written list of complaints was formally presented to them. To have presumably acted at face value, and probably without considering the merit and outcome of the previous mission led by Dame Billie Miller in 2010, and what would really be achieved by a second visit, appears, with all due respect, to have been an error of judgment.
The Chief Minister has made the point, since returning to Anguilla, that he was unhappy with the delegation of three women and preferred to have a team of Prime Ministers visitAnguillainstead – a wish he may now be getting, probably to his credit of having convinced them.
What is of more concern is the fact that the Prime Minister of St. Kitts-Nevis, Dr. Denzil Douglas, a former CARICOM Chairman, is among the delegation of three selected to come to Anguilla, “at the earliest opportunity”, in a bid to defuse the “public tension” between the Governor and the Chief Minister.
Given the history of Anguilla/St. Kitts political relations at the leadership level, which resulted inAnguilla’s formal separation from its two former sister islands, Prime Minister Douglas, notwithstanding his leadership role in CARICOM, should have excused himself from the mission. It is probable that his decline would have been understood by his colleagues and even by the Chief Minister ofAnguilla.
The other matter that is confusing is that while the CARICOM Heads of Government agreed that the delegation should meet with both the Governor and the Chief Minister, this may not be the case. The Chief Minister, who left the CARICOM Summit forBarbados, told the Caribbean Media Corporation there that: when the delegation arrives early in April, the Prime Ministers will not speak with the Governor “because the Governor is incredulous [and] we get no reason out of him”. He went on: “We are inviting that team toAnguillato speak to the Anguillian community. I intend to organise a major rally, and I will have those Prime Ministers to speak at that rally to the Anguillian community – because what we want to do is to send a clear message back toLondonthat we are not alone…”
It is doubtful that the CARICOM delegation will simply meet at a rally with the people. This would be in stark conflict with the clearly expressed purpose of the mission to defuse the “public tension” between the Governor and the Chief Minister (by meeting with them), as outlined by the Heads of Government in their communiqué.
This is a matter that begs for clarification and, also, given the observance of proper protocol, and the need for security, it is not likely that the Prime Ministers will come toAnguillawithout formally informing the Governor who also has responsibility for Foreign Affairs and internal security. Neither would it be proper protocol, nor good manners, for them to simply come toAnguilla, mingle among, and probably excite, the crowd and ignore the Governor.
This, by itself, would give the impression that the CARICOM mission toAnguillawas ill-conceived, and may even be an exercise in futility if it cannot adequately address the so called “public tension.” It may also have been wise for the CARICOM leaders to make certain inquiries about the real governance issues inAnguillabefore deciding to send another delegation, this time of Prime Ministers, to meet with the Governor and the Chief Minister.
Another point to consider is that whileAnguilla, as an Associate Member of CARICOM, may have the privilege of referring certain matters to that body for any necessary assistance, when it comes to internal governance issues it is a different and sensitive matter. The CARICOM leaders should be all too aware of this.
