I am constantly being told by persons who listen to the various talk shows, that mention is being made of a letter that I received from Mr. Ben Merrick, Director, Overseas Territories Directorate on December 23, 2107. The discussion for self-proclaimed journalists and political pundits is that the Chief Minister, and by extension the Government of Anguilla, has made no mention of this letter in the public domain.
But, I was also particularly disturbed by the fact that a former Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court may have also lent credibility to this inaccurate premise by stating as a point of departure for his posting on FaceBook that “there has been no mention of this letter in the public domain …”. Albeit qualified with the caveat: “that I know about”.
I must state at the outset that I have absolutely no problem/issue with the fact that a number of the self-proclaimed journalists and political pundits as well as the former Justice of the ECSC have expressed a dim view of the capacity of the Government of Anguilla to meet the requirements/conditions set out in that particular letter. Or even the view that Government does not possess the experience and ability to negotiate more favourable arrangements. They are entitled to their opinion in this democratic community. But equally, the duly elected Government, working along with its qualified and professional team of technical officials, stands ready to make it happen. We cannot afford to subscribe to the opinions of prophets of doom and gloom.
In addition to my repeated reference to this letter on every occasion that I have been on radio, there are also at least two direct references in print media (The Anguillian) on the 5th and 12th of January 2018. For accuracy permit me to take the exact excerpts from both of those editions of “The Anguillian”.
I had an interview with the Editor of The Anguillian newspaper on January 2, this year which was then printed in the same paper under the caption: “The way forward in the New Year”. The excerpt reads as follows:
“I received a letter from Mr. Ben Merrick, the Director of Overseas Territories, a day before Christmas, outlining the preliminary requirements which I had discussed with Lord Ahmad and Lord Bates, the Ministers for FCO and DfID respectively, while in London in late November. I must say that I was particularly impressed that the Director had taken the time, just before Christmas Eve, to make sure that I received such a letter. I am most grateful, indeed, for the level of enthusiasm for getting things started in Anguilla that we have received from the UK Government.
So, Mr. Hodge, I will be definitely spending the first month – among other things – putting plans in place to get out of the starting blocks as early as possible. I felt especially encouraged by the second paragraph of the letter from the Director and I quote:
(“Chief Minister”) I’m confident the anticipated 60 million (pounds) reconstruction grant will help Anguilla to build back – and build back stronger – a significant proportion of the public infrastructure destroyed or damaged by IRMA. I am delighted that UK ministers have agreed this significant amount, and I am looking forward to working with you and fellow ministers and officials to put procedures in place which will allow us to quickly start to disburse so you can begin the construction work which I know is so very much needed.
The Anguillian : Chief Minister, I know that you have not yet had the time to discuss the details of this letter with your colleagues. But is there any chance that you can give us at least a general outline of some of the proposed requirements for the disbursement of this considerable grant funded package that you have been able to negotiate? We have been listening to the debate in the BVI with regard the preconditions that they must meet for their guaranteed loan arrangements.
C.M.: As you indicated, I just got back today and I have not yet met with my colleagues officially on this. This correspondence is four pages long. But I can tell you that the UK Ministers’ requirements fall into three parts as follows:
• Agreement to a revised Medium Term Economic and Fiscal Reform Programme;
• The appointment of a UK funded Financial Adviser to the Government of Anguilla;
• A clear agreed list of projects which UK funding will support, and the establishment of agreed implementation arrangements.
Of course, the details of these requirements will have to be discussed further over the next few weeks. But my ultimate objective is to have the broad requirements agreed and signed off on by mid-January, and a list of projects “shovel-ready” before the UK Budgetary discussion begins. That is, by the middle March.
The Anguillian: Mr. Banks, do you consider these requirements onerous?
C.M.: Not at all! Especially given the fact that there is room for negotiation on a number of issues and concerns I have already raised in London. I will not go in those details in advance of those discussions. It would not be appropriate or strategic to do so.
But lets face it! This is the largest package of UK grant funding that Anguilla has ever received for capital infrastructure. We expect some level of oversight not only for transparency in disbursement — but also to ensure that the British taxpayer, to whom we owe a debt of gratitude, are satisfied that their contribution is put to proper use. As far as my colleagues and I are concerned, we welcome the oversight to reinforce accountability and transparency to all and sundry.”
Again during my first Press Conference of this year held on January 9, 2018, among other things, I made this specific comment which was captured in the January 12, 2018 edition of the Anguillian Newspaper under the caption: “ANGUILLA’S 2018 BUDGET AND UK ASSISTANCE”. The exact excerpt for accuracy purposes again reads as follows:
“I have received a letter from the British and Commonwealth Office indicating the very important steps that need to be taken so that UK Ministers can agree with the spending process. These required steps are as follows: 1. An agreement to a revised medium term Economic and Fiscal Reform Program; 2. The appointment of a UK-funded Financial Advisor to the Government of Anguilla; 3. A clear agreed list of projects which this funding will support, and the establishment of agreed implementation arrangements. The details of this letter that I received from David Merrick, Director of Overseas Territories, give a clear outline of what needs to be done as pre-conditions for the disbursement of these funds.
“You would expect that if the British Government is giving us a grant of EC$220,000,000 there would be some conditions attached, and we have to assure the British tax payers that the funds have been disbursed transparently and accountably. I must again express my gratitude to the British Government for this support. This would not have been possible without the teamwork between the Ministry of Finance, the Governor’s Office and the FCO, as well as the other agencies that were involved.”
Fellow Anguillians, the persons who speak pessimistically about the timely disbursement of these funds are among the same persons who said that the British Government would never provide an allocation of funding to rebuild Anguilla’s critical infrastructure and social needs. They were wrong then and they will be proven wrong again. And I can assure you that this Government will not involve or entertain any such negative persons or thinking in our negotiations. Such an approach is neither helpful nor strategic — as I alluded to in my interview of January 2, 2018.
The prophets of doom and gloom did not take the time to ascertain or inquire into what I mentioned days after my receipt of this letter on my return to Anguilla on December 29, 2017 following my Christmas recess. And they are coming to conclusions on the capacity of the Ministry of Finance and other line Ministries to respond to these conditions/requirements without information or experience of how the process works.
The Government of Anguilla will not be engaged in crisis politics — through “knee-jerk” reactions to unfounded comments by self-proclaimed journalists and political pundits. While we do respect their entitlement to their opinion — we as your Government reserve the right to negotiate strategically the issues that impact our island objectively and professionally — and in an atmosphere of mutual respect.
Victor F. Banks
Chief Minister
