Anguilla’s Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Victor Banks, took the opportunity of a consultative workshop on Monday, this week, to tell a UN delegation about the situation in the island following the 2008 recession.
The delegation was led by Mr. Stephen O’Malley, the UN Regional Coordinator for Barbados and the OECS. The consultative workshop in Anguilla was part of an effort for the formulation of a Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework for the region.
Following is the text of the address delivered by Mr. Banks:
“I am pleased to welcome this United Nations team of delegates to Anguilla to facilitate this consultative workshop for the formulation of a Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework for our Region. It is my hope that you will have the opportunity at some point to get to know something about what makes us Anguillian; be spoilt by our legendary Anguillian hospitality; and savour the charm and delights of our beautiful island. I insist that the staff in the Ministry of Finance & Economic Development makes that happen.
“Anguilla was at a critical juncture in its journey towards economic take-off when we were struck by the impacts of the global recession in 2008. It resulted in our island having to struggle for the last seven years to stay afloat — while our administering power, the United Kingdom, seemed to be only concerned about us balancing the budget. This approach has left the island without any real public sector investment for the entire period. And even worse there has been absolutely no measurable economic growth for over five years. To put it bluntly we have been in a virtual recession for the entire period since 2008.
“Our situation is further exacerbated by the challenges to the indigenous banking sector that has been the backbone of our national development over the years. In order to stabilize these important institutions we must be innovative; creative; and courageous. The choices available to us are few and the resources required are huge. However, we are determined to make the case with the appropriate agencies to turn this situation around. We will not sit idly by and allow failed policies to dictate the way forward in the days ahead. In this regard, it is important that we begin a dialogue with appropriate United Nations agencies like yourselves to share experiences and ideas.
“A few days ago I commented on the uneven playing fields that developing states are forced to play on. The rules are made by developed nations with callous disregard for our capacity to sustain the costs of the measures/agreements they formulate to support their own agenda.
“How can we convince the developed countries that their “bullying approach” to advancing their agenda is not in keeping with the principles of sovereignty that they so widely espouse — when it suits them? Or that “black-listing; white listing; and all kinds of unilateral listing are patently immoral and abusive. These are issues with which developing states struggle regularly. Where does it lead and where does it end.
“Anguilla’s participation in the development of this framework will give us the opportunity to put forward Anguilla’s concerns thus enabling them to be incorporate in the document.
“I always have concerns when Anguilla is a part of negotiations with larger states in our region because it has been my experience that there is a pecking order . Usually in those arrangements the issues of smaller states get overwhelmed or even overlooked. I would hope that the methodology for incorporating the outcome of these consultations will be adequately reflect our situation and the assessment and implementation processes will do us justice as well.
“Let me once again welcome the U N delegation and hope that we will all experience a fruitful and product workshop here today.
Blessings”
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
