September 24th, 2012
John A Gumbs
View Fort
PO Box42
Anguilla
Dear Reverend Gumbs,
Thank you for your letter of September 21st 2012, in response to my letter dated September 6th but sent to you via email on 12th September. Among the many concerns and questions raised and asked in my letter to you were: (i) what are the terms of reference of the Constitution and Electoral Committee; (ii) whether or not the Government and this committee wish to craft recommendations in the proposed new draft which seeks to create a framework that enables a move to independence; and (iii) if so at what point will the people be allowed to speak on this via referendum? The answers to these specific questions were seen as critical determinants as to whether or not the AUF would associate itself with the present committee of which you are the Chairman.
I have met and discussed your response with the Electoral Group of the AUF Party. As a core principle, the AUF Party believes in a free and democratic society. Your letter states “the terms of reference given to our committee is to prepare a Constitution forIndependence. I have been given powers to co-opt.” The terms of reference of your committee from the Government of Anguilla, which gives the committee the right to prepare an independence constitution, makes a mockery of democracy. It is a widely accepted fact that any decision to pursue independence must be based on the expressed wish of the people ofAnguilla. This wish as we all know must be expressed through a referendum. To the best of our knowledge no such referendum has taken place. In the circumstances the Government of Anguilla has no authority at this time to mandate the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee to prepare a constitution for independence. Indeed, to do so would be to usurp the democratic right of all Anguillians to determine their future. As a consequence, we have no other option but to refuse your invitation to be part of this particular Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee.
In the meantime, as a man who extols the virtues of democracy and freedom of a people, we urge you seek an audience with the Hon. Chief Minister and his APP/AUM government colleagues, with a view to correcting this serious breach of democracy thereby giving all Anguillians the opportunity to express their views on independence through a referendum. This we strongly submit and advise must take place before any work is done on preparing an independence constitution.
Yours truly,
Fritz Smith,
Chairman
TheAnguillaUnited Front Party
cc. Hon. Chief Minister, Mr Hubert Hughes
Hon. Minister of Infrastructure, Mr Evans Gumbs
Hon. Minister of Social Development, Mr Edison Baird
Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, Mr Walcott Richardson
Hon. Elected Member of Sandy Hill District, Mr Jerome Roberts
Hon. Parlaimentary Secretary, Mr Haydn Hughes
The Press
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
