Dear Chief Minister
Caribbean Commercial Bank
While I welcome the resolution of the immediate crisis over the Caribbean Commercial Bank (CCB) on Friday afternoon (26th June 2015), the very fact that the crisis was allowed to occur at all raises important questions.
The sudden closure of the bank took the people of Anguilla unawares, at a time when we need less uncertainty, not more. Was government as surprised as the people and, if so, why? We need to ask ourselves if proper oversight and attention is being devoted to the vital issues we now face. In addition to your considerable duties as Chief Minister, you have retained for yourself a vast array of portfolios (including Finance, Economic Development and Planning, Inland Revenue, Public Debt, Customs, Trade & Commerce, Social Security, Tourism, Statistics, Procurement & Tenders, Lands & Physical Planning). Yet you have an unprecedented number of elected members of your own party in government. Can you not find among them sufficient talent to shoulder part of that burden? The wisdom to delegate is an important leadership quality the people expect and deserve.
Furthermore, if the banking situation is “well on track to being resolved in the future”, and if you “will address [the nation] further on these initiatives in due course”, it follows that you should have been aware of the threat that the bailiffs would enforce the legal claim that gave rise to Friday’s crisis. Why did you wait for the crisis to occur before taking steps to defuse it?
Lastly, and regarding the banking situation generally, I recognise the sensitivity of the issues, but we are unfortunately yet again witnessing government behind closed doors. The banking crisis is currently a principal topic of concern to Anguillians, and yet they have received no clear information on the discussions. They are left in the dark while their financial fate is being determined for them by others. Why has no debate of the issues and possible solutions been brought to the House of Assembly, where it would be open to the people’s view? Chief Minister: we are looking for a different style of government from that of the former administration. The people of Anguilla deserve the respect of open and accountable government, and the responsibility to make that change rests with you.
YoursSincerely,
Palmavon J Webster
Leader of the Opposition
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
