Some time mid-last week I got wind of a plot that major forces of the opposition were hatching, to attack me on the basis that their candidate was weak and did not have a record to match what I have done over the past five years for my people of District 2 and Anguilla on the whole. I was informed that they were working very hard behind the scenes crafting a bombshell of lies, mudslinging details, and smearing of my performance with the hope of poisoning the minds of our right-thinking citizens about the great strides that I have made in my Ministry.
I am therefore not surprised that within the space of 24 hours I have been the subject of two separate attacks – one in relation to my attendance at ExCo and approval of work permits, among other things, and the other in relation to the Constitutional Amendment Order in May 2019, the Labour Relations Act 2019, the reconstruction of our schools and our immigration laws, etc.
It is so coincidental that these two attacks, hours apart, have come just days before Nomination Day on Friday, 12th June 2020. What is even more telling is the fact that these attacks resemble another attack that was made in 2010. Again, just days before Nomination Day 2010.
So today, I cannot help but expose the attempts of the oppositional forces to conspire and against me, all for the ultimate purpose of gaining a win in District 2 on Election Day. This makes me laugh!
I will briefly address the major points raised, not for those detractors, but for the people of Anguilla whom I have diligently served over the past five years.
Point 1 – Days Missing from Executive Council (ExCo): The claim is that I, Cora Richardson Hodge, missed 34 ExCo Meetings excluding for health and personal reasons. Let me take this opportunity to explain the role of Ministers and how the Executive Council works for the benefit of those persons that make claims but do not understand the role of Ministers and how Executive Council works.
From April 2015 to June 2020, ExCo would generally meet every Thursday. There are many times ExCo would meet more than once a week and even on weekends.
As a Minister assigned to a very large portfolio the 5 years of my term (which included Home Affairs, Labour, Education, Immigration, Constitutional and Electoral Reform, Information and Broadcasting and Human Rights, Gender Affairs and Environment), I would have been required to travel on Government business over the years to attend meetings, conferences and other functions. Yes, some were OECS meetings (minus Jamaica and Trinidad); and some were Caricom meetings; but all were geared towards the advancement of the Ministry and individual Departments. So yes, there were occasions on which I was not present but it was never the case where I intentionally skipped Executive Council for no valid reason, as the mischief makers would want people to believe. Besides, once at least two Ministers of Government were present on island, ExCo would typically continue. And let me add for the sake of the record, there 308 ExCo meetings in total. I was present for approximately 90% of them.
But even more important is the fact that every single Bill, Regulation or law in relation to any matter under my Ministry that made its way to ExCo would have first been subject to my review, comment, and approval, especially as a trained legal mind. And if I happened to be unavailable to oversee its discussion at ExCo (for whatever reason), I would personally update the other Ministers and request that they proceed to gain approval so as not to delay the People’s business. This could only happen when you have capable leadership of a Ministry and a strong team.
Point 2 – The Number of Work Permit Approvals: It is interesting that the orchestrators of the plot selected what they thought was necessary to push their evil agenda, choosing instead to omit some critical information from the public domain. Permit me to do so now. When I took Office in 2015, there was a total of 798 renewal of work permits. Those numbers decreased steadily and in 2019 there were 525 renewals, a decrease of 273. Let it be clear here that the total renewals of 3,081 was obtained by simply adding the number of renewals from 2015 to 2019. Many of those same renewals would be counted in each year because, guess what? They are renewals! So if you have five renewals each year for 5 years, the total number is not 25; it is only the 5 renewals in each year for the five years.
In 2015, there were 295 new work permits granted. In 2019, there were 267 – again another decrease. After Hurricane Irma, 386 temporary work permits were granted in 2018, largely in order to rebuild the country. The new work permits for the 5 years totalled 1,561. However, it would have been interesting to hear the total number of new work permits that were granted from 2010 to 2015 to really put these figures into context. It is sadly obvious that the release of only the 2015 to 2020 figures is politically motivated and not intended to present the truth to the people of Anguilla.
Point 3 – No Continuing Negotiations on Constitutional Reform: In May 2019, the AUF Government was successful in finally amending the Anguilla Constitution. The Island-Wide voting, recognition of grandchildren as Anguillians, and allowing Anguillians with dual citizenship to run for Elections, were just some of the amendments made.
In November 2019, as a result of its closeness to the 2020 General Elections, the major political parties (between themselves and the UK Negotiating team that was visiting Anguilla at the time) agreed to place a hold on further constitutional reform until after said elections. This is essentially the reason why wholesale Constitutional Reform has not been completed to date.
I do sympathize with some persons who are not in agreement with taking the advancement of our Constitution in stages and not including what they think should have been in the first stage of constitutional reform. But fortunately, I am not moved by the whims of an individual but more importantly, by the desire to progress an entire country for all Anguillians. But you must know that every single one of those Constitutional reforms made in May of 2019 is benefitting the people of Anguilla today.
Point 4 – Labour (Relations) Act 2019: Like the constitutional reform, amendments to the labour laws have been long in coming. The Labour (Relations) Act was the first of three stages to come on stream, but it was the most critical as it addresses the relationship between employers and employees. Many of the allegations about the new labour law being weaker than the previous Fair Labour Standards Act are grossly untrue because, simply speaking, the Fair Labour Standards Act had depth and could not be enforced. But, I will agree to disagree as only time will tell the truth on this matter. It is to be noted that the upgrade to our Labour laws is not complete and will be completed upon my return to Office on the eve of 29th June 2020. And I am proud to say that the completion of the labour laws will include the implementation of Anguilla’s First Minimum Wage.
Point 5- Immigration: I agree that the opening of many foreign-owned stores is an issue that predated my time. But it extended beyond one Government administration or political party and is not necessarily a matter to be determined by immigration or even labour. What I can say is that many of our non-Anguillian parents of children born in Anguilla are relieved to no longer have to pay for time for their children who know no other home than Anguilla. We are also in the process of establishing Anguilla’s first Visa Processing Center. This is my record that I own. Enough said.
Point 6 – Delay in Construction of Education Projects: It is only when a person is on the inside of the Government process can that person truly appreciate the red tape and measures of compliance that are involved before one can even break ground on a government project. I am always disappointed when I hear grown people who should know better claim that the re-construction of our schools was intentionally delayed for the sake of elections. I for one can tell you that had we been able to complete the construction of all of the schools before the 2020 general elections, our margin of victory (especially mine in District 2) on Election Day would have been so much greater. So there was absolutely no benefit to me or the AUF Government to have delayed the re-construction of our schools.
It is clear that the talking points of the plotters carry no weight in the eyes of the electorate. What I find to be blatantly lacking from both attacks, however, is a reference to the empty track record, and non-performance, of my opponent in District Number 2, whom they are obviously trying to get elected. They may want to try to forget that he, as well, served in Government for 5 years, and has no record of achievement. How many bills did he bring to the House during his term in office? All of Anguilla will patiently await this information.
So my dear people, these attacks are clear attempts to try to tear me down and build him up. They are so-called “election bombs” designed to blow up just before elections and turn the minds of the people of District 2 and Anguilla as a whole. But guess what? The people have seen it for what it is! The people of District 2 will never forget the level of blatant disrespect that was heaped on their heads between 2010 and 2015. I WILL NOT be intimidated! I WILL NOT be moved! Cora Richardson-Hodge WILL PRESS ON STRONGER THAN EVER!
I WILL NOT be distracted by the petty attempts to malign me and my record of accomplishments. I have served my District WELL and I WILL continue to do so. Onward United!
Stay tuned to my public presentations.
