The Ministry of Home Affairs announces the receipt of the Report of the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee. The Report was presented to Executive Council on Thursday 4th May 2017. It makes several comprehensive recommendations for amendments to the Anguilla Constitution and the Elections Act and proposes that an Electoral Boundaries Commission be established. Included in the report are a draft Constitution, draft Elections Bill, draft Electoral Boundaries Commission Bill and a dissenting opinion from one of the Committee members.
On receiving and reviewing the report, Executive Council has agreed to proceed with the finalization of the Electoral Boundaries Commission Bill which was drafted by the Committee and to establish an Electoral Boundaries Commission which will review all the electoral boundaries in Anguilla and make recommendations with regard to establishing new boundaries.
In relation to the recommended changes to the Constitution and the Elections Act, the Ministry of Home Affairs will lead in the organisation of discussion meetings with political parties, independents and other interested parties in relation to the recommendations, prior to presentation to the House of Assembly.
The Ministry of Home Affairs extends thanks to the Chairman and members of the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee for its efforts over the last eighteen months. The Committee held public consultations, discussion forums, one on one meetings and canvassed the views of the public using various media, to ensure that the report captured the wishes of the people of Anguilla. The Ministry also thanks the general public for its engagement in the exercise over the past year.
The report is available at the Public Library and can be viewed on the Government of Anguilla website at gov.ai.
Honourable Cora Richardson Hodge
Minister of Home Affairs
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper)
