The Anguilla House of Assembly has amended a previously approved Motion regarding the establishment of a Select Committee to consider two petitions from Concerned Citizens opposed to a Bill for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The amended Motion was taken to the House of Assembly on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, by the Deputy Speaker and Elected Member for Road North, Mr. Merrick Richardson, on the advice of the Attorney General, Mr. Dwight Horsford. Mr. Richardson explained that it replaced the original Motion (6/2021) of the 18th Meeting of the First Session of the 12th House of Assembly.
He said that the language “does not adequately convey the intent of that Motion neither the requirements of the rules regarding membership of the Select Committee.” He further explained that the language used “may imply that membership of the Committee includes non-members of the Assembly.”
Originally, the Motion called for the Select Committee to comprise four Members of the House along with two members of the public, agreed to by the Committee, on the recommendation of the petitioners.
The amended Motion now calls for the Select Committee to comprise five Members of the House, supported by two Specialist Advisers, agreed to by the Committee, on the recommendation of the petitioners.
Meanwhile, the report of the Select Committee is being anxiously awaited by the petitioners who, as stated earlier, are opposed to the GST. The Bill, regarding the impending tax, was given its first reading on Tuesday, March 23, 2021. That was the day when a number of protesters went to the House of Assembly with the petitions.
