Fellow Anguillans and in particular the Residents of District # 2 Sandy Hill I bring you greetings.
As I cross the 3 year mark as your District Representative it gives me great pleasure in stopping and saying thanks to each and every one of your who have supported and continued to support my representation in the Anguilla House of Assembly and in my role as Advisor to the Chief Minister in the Ministry of Finance.
Thanks for your understanding, thanks for your patience and thanks for your commitment in supporting me throughout this toughs and challenging times.
Fellow Anguillans we have much to be thankful for, health, strength and spared life to be here in the land of the living.
God in his bounteous love has continued to make what many see as being impossible possible, he has continued to sustain each and every one of us daily.
The year in review 2012 has being one of many achievements as well as many challenges and this as a result of the economic meltdown which the world all over today is experiencing.
We give thanks to the many Businesses that remained open thus assisting our people to put food on their table.We thanks God for the positive strives we were able to make in balancing our budget within the three year time frame as requested by the FCO. We were blessed to have the Zemi project started in 2012 and is looking at a completion hopefully in 2013. As a result of the sale of flags we saw the commencement of work on the Golf Course in 2012. In the area of Tourism we were able to see the return of the Dolphin Fantasy to Anguilla and already we are feeling the effects of its return. The likes of the Real House Wives of Atlanta has generated mush buzz about Anguilla on the international stage. In 2012 the dialog start with much momentum in the area of exploring our fishing grounds with the view of maximized its financial net worth this will continue in 2013. The much talked about Education Bill was finally past during the end of 2012. The controversial St. Martin / Anguilla Dock is now up and running with the reintroduction of the late night ferry thus assisting with our tourism product. The fruits of which we will all benefit from in 2013 and beyond. How can we forget the great achievements made internationally with Ms. Shara Proctor’s participation in the Olympic making her Anguilla homeland proud. What about the like of our junior champion Zenal Hughes as well as the many other young people who have represented us well through sports in 2012? On the Educational scene we all salute the excellent performance of our young people especially our males in the 2012 examinations.
By way of challenges in 2012 we faced the difficulties of collecting revenue as anticipated.We struggled with trying to get the economy going, and we were saddle to carry the weight of several expenses during a tough period.We were force to produce a budget for 2013 whereby cutting it to the core thus resulting in several critical areas being affected. Capital work in 2012 was again at an all-time low all as a result of not having the finances to carry out the much need work on our public buildings, roads and road networking. Crime and Violence continue to plaque our little Island thus sending disturbing messages to the travelling community and this we all have a part to play in combating.
Through it all Fellow Anguillans we have come and as a resilient people I am optimistic that though these challenges continue to confront us that we will band forces to overcome.
There are many persons out there who would tell you that they can and would have done better but I ask of you to check their record. Fellow Anguillans this great recession started from 2008 and if we are true to self would realized that the former administration could not get the economic wheels going up to election day In 2010. I ask have the state of the economy globally changed since 2008? The answer is NO Fellow Anguillans.
Tourism is our main Industry and while we do not export anything our reliance is strictly on imports so how are we to generate the needed revenue to get the wheels turning fellow Anguillans? As I mentioned earlier this administration is seriously looking at turning to Fishing as the second pillow in a big way to help our economy to rebound.
These are critical times and it calls for each and every one of us to think and to speak positively about our Island we claim to love so dearly. The political posturing that we here is not going to do any good for the Politician neither Anguilla at this time. The true is what is required and that true is simply these are tough times and we have to tighten our belts. Anguilla depends on its survival not from Britain but from the US in a big way. May I remind you that as a dependent Oversea Territory since May of 2005 we have Not received one Dollar in cash from our mother Country the United Kingdom. Yet some of us appear to be eager to stay under her wings.
The cry today is for the Government to do something to infuse some capital in the Island so as to put our people to work. While this is our desire Fellow Anguillans the big question is how?When we are not being allowed to borrow so as to get Capital work done and when we are not being assisted from the British purse.
In 2012 a small Loan from the CDB which was air marked for Anguilla in which we wanted to construct the Community College and build a road which was honored by the former administration the FCO came forward with strings attached thus Anguilla lost that opportunity. This Fellow Anguillans would have severed as a stimulus to getting some money in the economy and getting some of you fellow Anguillans employed.
So it is not for the sake of not trying to move this Island forward in 2012 that the administration suffered such setbacks but it’s all under the hands of those in higher Authority who careless for whether Anguilla sink or float and we have to realized this and speak out against it.
I wish to say here that despite the road blocks which were encounter in 2012 this administration ought to be praised for the prudent management of the public purse with the help of the Public Servants. We stood firm in our commitment to make do with what we had knowing full well that it was not the best position to be in but we had to manage within our budgetary means. 2012 saw the icing on the cake from where we came from with a deficit at the end of 2009 to a balance position in 2012.
Fellow Anguillans the road ahead is going to be still challenging and I asked of you to stay focus, band positive forces with family and friends and let us ride out this economic storm together.
Residents of District # 2, I hear your cries I feel your pain and wherever I can assist I will. We are all in this together contrary to what you would hear at the breakfast tables and on your door steps. Do not allow politics to deter you from what is the truth and that is these are tough times.
This Administration, your Government is working extremely hard with the hope of overcoming this economic storm and seeing our people back to work thus providing food, clothing and a better way of life for your families once again.
I am committed to my responsibility as your representative District # 2 and I must remain firm and true to this noble service to which you have appointed me.
I say in times like these the detractors will be around seeking votes and preying on the present situation but I say to you ask them what would and can they do differently in these challenging economic times?
I end by saying thanks again for your support giving to me in 2012 and as 2013 has started my wish for each one of us is that we live with the hope for a brighter and fruitful year.
May God Bless you and May god bless Anguilla.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
