The name Rodney MacArthur Rey is, by all accounts, a household name in Anguilla for more than 40 years in education, the electoral system, as well as church and community life. His latest appointment, as Supervisor of Elections, substantially adds to the impressive list of public and private sector responsibilities he has held for the most part of his 66 years.
Known as a highly principled and patriotic Anguillian, he turned up at his post of Supervisor of Elections on Monday, February 17, 2020, determined, as he always is, to carry out his duties with all the energy and dedication he can muster – however challenging such duties may be. Mr. Rey succeeds Ms. Aurjul Wilson who served as Supervisor of Elections since in 2015 but resigned with immediate effect on Tuesday, February 11, 2020. As a consequence, Governor Foy appointed Mrs. Maria Hughes as Acting Supervisor of Elections – and by February 13 he announced that Mr. Rodney Rey would take up the reins as permanent Supervisor of Elections on Monday, February 17, with Mrs. Hughes becoming Deputy Supervisor.
Although there have been several changes to the electoral system in recent times, Mr. Rey is no stranger to electioneering in Anguilla having served as an experienced Returning Officer for many years. He was contemplating contesting the upcoming elections and was widely being encouraged to do so, but thought he had enough public service on his record. However, as fate would have it, he now heads and commands the entire electoral system with all its new changes and challenges.
The Anguillian newspaper asked Mr. Rey for his comments. “Any job like this, I think, is a challenging one, but what I should place on record, first, is my thanks to my predecessor, Ms. Wilson, who worked hard – and I think she laid a solid foundation for the conduct of free and fair elections in Anguilla,” he stated. “She has also spearheaded the new system, as well, and has started training Election Officers to ensure that we have free and fair elections.
“It is now for me to build on that foundation with the officers here at the Central Electoral Office – and with the cooperation of the Elections Officials who will be working on Nomination Day and Elections Day. I will require the full cooperation of the political parties, independent candidates, the at-large candidates, the electorate of Anguilla and the Royal Anguilla Police Force. I expect Anguilla to maintain its tradition of having free and fair elections. Democracy is alive and well in Anguilla and we want the elections to be conducted in a civil manner. People have a choice among candidates. They must exercise that choice and their democratic right to vote.”
Speaking about his integrity and fairness, Mr. Rey continued: “My hallmark is, for all these years, that I think I consider myself to be a man of integrity and principle. As a matter of fact, I jotted down a definition of integrity that somebody sent me on WhatsApp which I think is my motto. It says, ‘Integrity is choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than personal gain’. I think, as I said, that is my motto and my sign post in this job. This is because there will be a lot of pressure from all sides, and you have to maintain your perspective and make your decision and action based on values, honesty, fair play and equality of all persons. Those are some of the values and principles I subscribe to from the time I started working – and up to today I have not changed my stance.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Rey commented on some aspects of the plans for the 2020 elections. “There will not be any more continuous registrations for the elections this year,” he said. “That has closed until after the elections and the voters list will be published in all the districts for public scrutiny. We will then await the possibility of any challenges to that list. After that the final voters list will be published. Once Election Day is announced, another big task will be Nomination Day and after that the elections will take place.”
Another important matter on which Mr. Rey commented was that 16 tabulating machines are now on their way to Anguilla from Chicago. “There will also be ongoing training for the Election Officers, and we will be going to the districts to educate voters on the whole new system. This is because they have to push the actual ballots through the machines. The voters will press a button and will be given feedback by the machines. They will even tell you if the ballot is spoiled and you can get a new ballot. It is a very user friendly system. The next training session for voters, using one of the machines already in Anguilla, is on Thursday this week at North Hill, commencing at 6 pm at Zion Methodist Church. The first one was held at the Church of God (Holiness) recently.
As stated earlier, Mr. Rey has a long history of public service in Anguilla. A University graduate, he worked for the Government of Anguilla for 41 years. He served as a Teacher, and later as the Principal of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School for seven years. He was transferred on promotion in 2000 as Permanent Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Home Affairs; and later in the Ministry of Education and Social Development. He has been an Election Official in Anguilla from 1980.
Among other duties in which Mr. Rey is now involved includes Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Anguilla Community College and Congregational Steward at the Bethel Methodist Church.
