May 11, 2020
His Excellency Timothy Foy
Governor
Old Ta, Anguilla AI-2640
Re: Announcing the Date for Elections 2020
Dear Governor Foy:
Per your proclamation as Governor of Anguilla, in exercise of the powers conferred by the Anguilla Constitution, acting after consultation with the Premier, the House of Assembly was dissolved on May 9, 2020. It is reasonable to expect that a date for elections in Anguilla would have been announced at that time, since the said Constitution states that elections are due within 60 days of the dissolution of the Assembly. Failure to announce the proposed date of the upcoming elections, as is the usual custom, can only be construed as political gamesmanship, a gambit which I am convinced you, or your high office, would not employ.
I know that the COVID-19 pandemic cast some doubt on the ability to hold elections in Anguilla by the due date, but press releases from the Ministry of Health, including today May 11, 2020 have declared that there are no suspected cases and no evidence of transmission of the COVID-19 virus within Anguilla, especially since it has been over 6 weeks since the last confirmed case.
Therefore, there is no reason why the proposed date of the elections cannot be released immediately. The people of Anguilla are ready to exercise their democratic right to vote for the next administration and are entitled to the proposed date. The Government should not be allowed any further unfair advantage after the Assembly has been dissolved. Your silence on declaring the date of the election will be interpreted as such.
Thank you for your attention. We await your urgent response.
Sincerely,
Ellis Lorenzo Webster
Leader, Anguilla Progressive Movement
cc. Hon. Victor Banks, Premier of Anguilla; Media
