A common problem that we face is distinguishing the difference between the role of government and our system of governance. It is important to note that all Elected Members of the Anguilla House of Assembly have equal standing in representing their respective Constituencies. This is a critical component of our Westminster Model of Representative Governance. Therefore, every Elected Member must work to represent the needs of their constituents and this can be best executed through effective consultation with the people of their constituency.
As our newly elected Premier, the Hon. Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster, is the Leader of Government Business and is responsible for assigning ministerial portfolios, setting the priorities for Executive Council Meetings, and establishing the legislative agenda of the newly elected APM Government. Of equal importance are the Elected Members who form the Opposition. Our new Leader of Opposition, the Hon. Cora Richardson-Hodge, along with her colleagues, will have the opportunity to use Parliamentary Questions. These are both written and oral questions, used to ensure the government is held accountable to the Parliament for its policies and actions, and thus to the people. With more Elected Members now in the Opposition, there is also an opportunity to establish Shadow Ministers, who may have the responsibility to scrutinise the policies and actions of specific government ministers/ministries, and in some cases to present alternative policies in the best interests of the people of Anguilla. In addition, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which will be chaired by the Leader of Opposition, is a critical component of checks and balances, as well as a powerful tool to unearth any and all instances of corruption, including conflicts of interests and nepotism, which have plagued our country for years.
Equally important to understanding the role of the Government and the Opposition, respectively, is to have a better understanding of the Procedural Rules of the Anguilla House of Assembly. This lays out guidelines for debates that will take place. It is my hope that these debates will be of a high standard, void of political grandstanding, and focused on fixing the issues that our people face. The role of the new Speaker of the House is especially important in this regard. The Speaker must conduct himself/herself with the highest level of integrity and fairness, and must in no way show favouritism or bias in carrying out his or her duties in the Anguilla House of Assembly.
This is also a time for the people of Anguilla to be vigilant and to pay close attention to what takes place among the decision-makers and legislators, as they go about your business. The promise of the APM Government to be transparent with the people will soon be tested, and it is my fervent hope that they will pass with flying colours. Our country faces an ongoing and very severe economic crisis, and the decisions that take place, including the negotiations with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), will be critical to the pace of our recovery going forward. My prayers are with all our leaders, both those in Government and those in Opposition, as they meet for the first session in the Anguilla House of Assembly today, July 17th 2020. I also pray for our people who face significant economic hardship; may God grant us the wisdom to face these challenging times.
