Of all the political groupings and independent candidates, in Anguilla, the DOVE Party is the first to start off the New Year with the resumption of its campaign for the coming general election.
The public meeting was held at Rey Hill, Valley South, on Tuesday night, January 6, where the District 4 DOVE candidate is Mr George L Kentish. The meeting was opened by the first speaker, Rev Dr H Clifton Niles, candidate for District 6, Road South; followed by Mr Sutcliffe Hodge, Party Leader and candidate for District 3, Valley North; and lastly, Mr Kentish.
Rev Niles set the tone of the meeting by stressing the need for a high level of campaigning based on issues and plans aimed at bringing about the development of Anguilla. “By now, you would know that the political meetings which we hold have a different tone. They are conducted the way that political meetings ought to be conducted,” he stated. “You must see the difference in our campaigns. We raise the bar in political campaigning in Anguilla; and we want to raise the bar even higher. That’s why you need to support us; that’s why you need to vote for us because we are setting new standards, new levels for us here in Anguilla.
“A political meeting is not for cursing. It is not for maligning people’s character. A political meeting is not for defaming anyone. It is not for telling lies on someone. It is not for putting a spin on the truth. A political meeting is meant to discuss the issues of the day – the concerns which matter to people, and to share with them your plans for dealing with issues and problems.”
Among the issues he raised was that local investors and entrepreneurs should be treated fairly like foreign investors. “It is not right that a foreign investor can come to Anguilla and get all sorts of duty-free concessions…when a local investor cannot get them. Something is wrong. The playing field is not level… When locals prosper, the island prospers,” he stressed.
He called for good governance, respect for the laws of the island and the forward movement of Anguilla. He noted that all of the other Overseas Territories had taken steps towards revising their constitutions except Anguilla which was now suffering under an outdated constitution. He referred to two White Papers which the British Government published in 1999 and 2012 to enable the territories to progress and receive assistance.
“Because we have not revised our constitution, because we have not engaged the British in this new partnership for progress, we have received virtually no help from them,” he charged. He further stated that “Anguilla will not really move forward unless it is unified – and you need a party to bring Anguilla back to unity, and the DOVE Party will do that.” He said his party offered “unity for progress: economic progress, constitutional progress, social progress, technological progress and regional progress.”
Mr Sutcliffe Hodge spoke at some length on the high cost of living in Anguilla. He called for a further reduction in the price of gasoline and reduced prices in diesel and cooking gas, as well as for a significant reduction in electricity rates.
He went on: “If we can get the price of electricity down, then you will be hearing from the DOVE Party, on this platform, a call for the grocery stores on this island to pass on some savings to the people of this island. We will be calling on the grocery stores to give consumers relief from the high food prices because the cost of electricity to run their air condition units is going to go down; the cost of electricity to run their freezers is going to go down; the cost of electricity to run their computers is going to go down. Some of that savings should be passed on to the consumers….We are all hurting at this time.”
Mr Hodge outlined a number of areas which he said the DOVE Party “see as being critical to the growth, prosperity and sustainability of Anguilla.” Among those areas was a need “to focus on renewable energy which can, and will be transforming to Anguilla.” He noted that fuel prices would not always remain at a low level and that renewable energy, such as solar, and wind power, would be workable alternatives to pursue.
Mr George Kentish spoke on various matters relating to the constitutional and economic development of Anguilla. He said that the DOVE Party was prepared to seriously engage the administering power in discussions on the question of partnership. He continued: “From our understanding of partnership, it means people sitting down at the table and discussing issues of relevance to all parties in a peaceful, respectful manner, and arriving at a decision that is mutually beneficial to both parties – not one party having the blade and the other party holding the handle. That is not the kind of relationship we envisage going forward…That is where we stand on the issue of constitutional and electoral reform.”
Mr Kentish observed that another emerging issue which would affect all Anguillians, was that of the two local banks. “This must be resolved and we, in the DOVE Party, believe that those two local banks played a critical role in the development of Anguilla over the last thirty years – and to see them disappear from the scene would be criminal to the hopes and aspirations of the people of this country.
“We need to see them functioning again to provide the kind of financial support and stability that they have provided along with the two international banks – FirstCaribbean and Scotiabank. They must continue to play a meaningful role. They understand the culture of Anguillians and that is important. Our culture must not be misunderstood or overlooked in the decision-making process of those two local banks.”
