Seldom in the history of Anguilla can politics have been brought so low as it was brought during the budget debates recently in the House of Assembly when you repeatedly disrespected me, attacked my character and hurt my professional reputation to the prejudice of the Anguilla financial services industry, the legal profession, the constituency of women and Anguilla as a whole.
Throughout my life, I have always acted with integrity and with an unswerving commitment to the interests of Anguilla and Anguillians.
Specifically, in relation to the Malliouhana negotiations you referred to, it is untrue and malicious to say that I presented this draft memorandum of understanding. As you well know, I was not personally involved in the negotiations and never participated in the meetings you referred to.
Further, in so far as my firm’s representation of the client was concerned, it is no part of the function of a legal adviser to dictate to their client what position he wishes to take in negotiations. I was surprised that you suggested otherwise. Whether the investor’s position in this case was right or wrong in the particular circumstances, what our people need to know is that had that development taken place, Malliouhana was targeted to have reopened about two years earlier than it has and Anguillians would have been back in employment at Malliouhana about two years ago. In saying that, I am nevertheless happy with the result that was ultimately achieved (albeit later than our people would have hoped) and I welcome the resort’s renewed existence and the employment potential it now offers.
It is no secret that you, Mr Vanterpool and Mr Hughes, are collaborating in systematically seeking to discredit me and assassinate my character, despite the fact that you have no basis whatsoever for this attack, other than your interest to be elected. You both went on to suggest, entirely falsely and without foundation, that I may have been involved in a diversion of government funds for my own benefit. You produced no valid evidence which would substantiate this allegation and, indeed, the so-called facts on which you sought to base those allegations were unfounded and false. I therefore challenge you to publish them outside the shelter of parliamentary privilege. Failure to do so will demonstrate that you have no confidence in them and that they are not true.
I agree that Honesty and Integrity should prevail in Anguilla. Good governance and high ethical standards are two of the pillars of our winning campaign in District 1. I have been a strong advocate for a highly regulated financial services industry and have personally committed over 25 years of my professional life to assuring that Anguilla has a good reputation worldwide. I have always acted with honesty, integrity and in the best interests of our people, the people of Anguilla. It is for our people that I am standing as an independent candidate in District 1, to give our people a voice, to make a difference, to deliver a New Anguilla Now and to help to implement the governance reforms that are needed to avoid the House of Assembly and other public institutions being brought into disrepute by abuses such as you perpetrated against our people during the debates. It has always been my goal to serve Anguilla and my people with high performance and with high integrity. I am committed now more than ever to effecting the reforms needed, not least in view of your recent behaviour in the House of Assembly. We must pray, for the sake of Anguilla, that neither of you succeed in the forthcoming election.
Yours faithfully,
Pam Webster
Independent candidate, District 1
