A significant frontier in political leadership in Anguilla is being carved out with the election of a woman, in the person of Mrs. Cora Mae Richardson-Hodge, as the new Leader of the Anguilla United Front (AUF) in which she served in the former national Government.
A Barrister-at Law and a qualified Environmentalist, Mrs. Richardson-Hodge was elected twice as the AUF’s Representative for District 2 (Sandy Hill). From 2015-2020 she served as Minister of Home Affairs and Education, Constitutional and Electoral Reform, Labour and Immigration and Gender Affairs. She is now the Leader of the Opposition in the Anguilla House of Assembly.
On Saturday, April 17, 2021, she was elected Leader of the AUF at the party’s convention in succession to former Premier, Mr. Victor Banks – and that election has put her on a path where she is likely to become Anguilla’s first woman Premier.
Mrs Cora Mae Richardson-Hodge
She was brought on stage by a group of enthusiastic party members and supporters at a public meeting on Sunday, April 18, on the grounds of Tropical Distributors at the Long Path. There, the first speaker, Mrs. Vonetter Richardson, Chairperson of the AUF’s Women Arm, said in her rousing welcome remarks: “We are confident that Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge will lead us in the right direction. As we embrace and receive you, we are overjoyed that you have accepted the challenge. Indeed, with your experience and dedication, we are assured that we will accomplish remarkable things together for our beloved Anguilla and the generations to come.”
At the same time, she said, Mrs. Richardson-Hodge had taken over from Mr. Banks whom she described as having been “one of the best of Anguilla’s leaders.”
Vonetter went on: “For over 40 years, Mr. Banks has served this nation of Anguilla – and he has done so with excellence. Mr. Banks, we want to say thank you for the wonderful service you have rendered to the Governments and people of Anguilla over the years. Your strength and your valour, and your equally calm and reassuring disposition, are to be admired…Many of us are grateful to you for how you have led us – through an often toxic environment – with good intent and decisiveness in your decision-making. Your skill of good, sound and intelligent communication, your personal deposition, and your ability to connect with all and sundry, compounded with your love and compassion for all mankind, are qualities which ought to be admired.”
In her acceptance address, as the AUF’s Leader, Mrs. Richardson-Hodge said she was committed “to building a new path, a new vision for the Anguilla United Front…in a way in which Anguillians can achieve success, prosperity and fulfilment.”
She acknowledged that during her entire political career she had “sheltered under the wings of Mr. Banks who had handed over to her the awesome responsibility of leading the Anguilla United Front.” She added that she had been “extremely fortunate to have worked as a Minister of Government under his leadership and guidance.”
Mr. Banks made the point that the election of Mrs. Richardson-Hodge, as the Leader of the AUF, was not about electing a woman to that position to make history, but in order to have a capable leader. He took the opportunity to explain what her election meant to him by giving a comprehensive overview of her professional qualities of leadership and experience.
Excerpts from the addresses by both Mrs. Richardson-Hodge and Mr. Banks are published elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian newspaper.
The public meeting was chaired by Mr. Evans McNiel Rogers, the AUF’s former Minister of Education and Social Development, now a member of the Opposition in the House of Assembly. He, and other speakers, spoke highly about Mr. Banks’ leadership – and of their overwhelming support for and confidence in the leadership of their leader, Mrs. Richardson – Hodge. Those speakers, in addition to Mr. Rogers, were: Mrs. Vonetta Richardson, Chairperson of the Women’s Arm; Ms. Caliniya Hughes, Chairperson of the Youth Arm; Mr. Jose Vanterpool, General Secretary; Mr. Cardigan Connor, the new Deputy Leader; Mr. Othlyn Vanterpool; Mr. Orris Smith; and Mr. Lockhart Hughes.
