White Paper
On listening to the Mayor Show on Saturday mornings I have been concerned at the apparent lack of understanding of the British agenda. I am even more concerned that our politicians also share this lack of understanding. There seems to be the belief that Anguilla is high on the agenda of the FCO. The reverse is true. We are at best an irritant in the face of their other, much larger, concerns.
Last Saturday 26 January the subject of the recent White Paper on Britain’s Overseas Territories came up all too briefly. Little attention was placed on the implications that the White Paper raises. I would advise our government read it and try to see between the lines. If the White Paper is read it will be seen that it deals with various territories, 14 in all. Look briefly at the situation of some of the territories:
British Indian Ocean Territory, also known as the Chagos Islands the largest being Diego Garcia. The British kicked out the legal inhabitants and leased Diego Garcia to the USA as a military base. This is a major interest for the USA as it gives them a real presence in the Indian Ocean. As a result it is close to the British heart also.
Sovereign Base of Akrotiri and Dhekelia. These are on Cyprus that comprises Greek and Turkish territory. Britain needs the bases to provide a military presence in the eastern Mediterranean. NATO also benefits from this presence.
Gibraltar commands the western entrance to the Mediterranean and so also the Suez Canal.
Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic. These were originally occupied by the British with the advent of steamships. They were to be used as a coaling station. The strategic importance in trade and military terms is obvious. Now there is oil exploration in the area so it gets even closer to the British heart. There are a group of associated islands on Antarctica and in the southern South Atlantic. These are largely uninhabited and who knows what mineral wealth may be found there. There are scientific bases and important natural ecological areas. All good for present international green credibility, and who knows what in the future. But how would the British get to the southern South Atlantic to protect them?
Ascension Island, St Helena, Tristan Da Cunha and Gough Island. All of these are very sparsely populated. St Helena is the beneficiary of a GBP 24,000,000 grant from Britain for airport construction. Why would an island of 4000 people want a runway for jumbo jets? It is halfway between Britain and the Falkland Islands that are of great strategic and oil interest to Britain and Europe. Oh, and Tristan Da Cunha is part of a world heritage site. Ascension is host to a HS missile-tracking base that they are sure to want to retain.
Pitcairn Islands are located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There is a population of 54and the cost to Britain, in order to support the island group, will be low.
Close to home are Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, BVI, Montserrat and then Anguilla. I will not comment on what Britain may consider to be the virtues or this last group but it is clear that even in the local context the importance of Anguilla is low. Anguilla’s value to Britain in the context of the territories as a whole is even lower. Although the territories are of different political status, Britain has chosen to treat them as a group. In addition to their international reputation, it is clear where the British interests lie and it is probable that their policies for the territories is governed by those interests. Our negotiations with the British should be to determine these interests and to turn their policies, as best we can, to our advantage.
Meanwhile, what do we have? We have a failing tourism industry and a financial services capability that is being stifled at birth. It is no use to the future of Anguilla to persist in trying to brawl with someone so much stronger than us, and then to persist in finding fault with our own citizens.
– Bill Grandfield
