29th June 2021
Fellow Anguillians, residents of Anguilla. Today, 30th June 2021 is a memorable day, as it represents the one year anniversary of the date on which the Anguilla Progressive Movement was overwhelmingly elected to represent the people of Anguilla. And so It is important that we review where we are today under the leadership of the Anguilla Progressive Movement, compared to where we were one year ago.
The one year anniversary of any Government is an important event because it is the opportunity for not only the Government of the day, but also, the people of Anguilla, to examine and judge the performance of our Government. Did we make the right choice in electing this Government to office to lead our country for the next five (5) years? Well, let us look at the track record of the Anguilla Progressive Movement up until now.
Let me first start off by saying that we must always give credit where credit is due. And it is for this reason I acknowledge the work of this APM administration, guided by the health team for their continued hard work in managing this COVID-19 pandemic. It is to be remembered that on Election Day 29th June 2020, our borders were closed and we had been labelled “covid-free”. I am happy to see that the protocols that had been initiated under the Anguilla United Front generally continue today. I would like to commend this Government and, in particular, our health officials, for continuing these safe practices that have preserved the health and well-being of the residents of Anguilla.
It has long been the case in many countries, including Anguilla, that a new administration would refuse to continue the work of the previous administration. This has led to stalled and incomplete projects over the years, effectively setting a country back by decades, in many cases. The Anguilla Programme redevelopment projects were borne out of the need to rebuild Anguilla in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma in 2017. The AUF Administration at the time recognized and understood that in rebuilding these projects, we had to also ensure that we rebuild for the foreseeable future. This meant that the redevelopment projects had to consider the needs of the people of Anguilla, not just for today, but for 15, 20, 30 years from today. We have heard this APM Administration lament about the maintenance costs of the redevelopment projects, but I would say that an investment in Anguilla’s future, building for our children’s future, could never be limited simply because of maintenance costs. It has to be done. We must maintain our infrastructure.
And so, it is commendable that this APM Administration has continued to oversee the Anguilla Programme Redevelopment projects. We have had a number of openings as well as ground breaking ceremonies over the last year – the opening of the additional wing at the Vivian Vanterpool Primary School, the western building at the Orelia Kelly Primary School, the opening of the South Hill Polyclinic, the opening of the renovated Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Anguilla House of Assembly and the Valley Police Station, are all projects started under the Anguilla United Front administration that have continued into 2020/2021.
The Morris Vanterpool Primary School, the southern block at The Valley Primary School, the auditorium at Orelia Kelly, the Alwyn Allison Primary School, the Valley Health Clinic, the Ministry of Infrastructure building and the Campus A of the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School are all projects that are soon to be completed and handed over to the Government over the next few months.
Every redevelopment project is coming to fruition as a result of the foresight and hard work of the previous Anguilla United Front Administration and the public service team in the respective Ministries.
At the time of the general elections in 2020, Anguilla had been ranked number 1 for four consecutive years on the Travel + Leisure 2020 World’s Best Awards list of the Top Islands in the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Bahamas. That accomplishment had been achieved during the term of the Anguilla United Front Administration. We thank our Minister of Tourism for accepting the award on 8th July 2020.
Work on the George Hill By-Pass had already commenced under the previous Anguilla United Front administration. So too was the Blowing Point Terminal, which had its official groundbreaking ceremony on 28th June 2021.
The draft Labour Understudy Programme Policy document that is currently being finalized is based on the passage of the Labour (Relations) Act 2019 which for the first time in Anguilla’s history, made provision in law for the understudy programme. Without the changes to the labour laws, the understudy policy would have had no teeth. And so we congratulate this APM Administration for continuing this work.
We have heard in recent times positive reports as to the viability of our indigenous bank and its climb out of bridge bank status. The very existence of the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla and its success today is as a result of the decision that our only indigenous bank had to be saved, for the depositors and the people of Anguilla. There was truly no other option. It is for this reason that the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the U.K. Government supported the banking resolution. They all understood the devastating effects the failure of our indigenous bank would have had on our economy. The previous AUF Government inherited a banking situation, and resolved it. And I commend this APM Administration for supporting Anguilla’s only indigenous bank, thereby ensuring its continued presence and service to the people of Anguilla for years to come.
Fellow Anguillians, there is no dispute that the previous AUF Administration laid a significant foundation which has benefitted this APM Administration over the last year. The facts as I have laid out so far are just that – Just the Facts. In a place and time where, if we do not sound the trumpet as to the foundation that we (the members of the previous Anguilla United Front Administration) have laid for this Government it is quite apparent that history will be repackaged. And so, it is critical that we set out our record, for the record.
During the election campaign, however, many promises had been made by the Anguilla Progressive Movement, promises that appealed to many Anguillian voters. Let us examine some of them to see where we are today.
The MOU for assistance to the tune of approximately EC$100,000,000.00 between the UK government and Anguilla signed by the then Premier, the Hon Victor Banks, was a hot topic in the weeks leading up to election day. Promises were made by the APM that if elected, they would not continue with the MOU and would refuse the money. After elections, the Premier approved the MOU and the APM Government gladly held on to the funds that were negotiated before the general elections. In fact, the Premier negotiated with the UK to secure additional funding that has kept Anguilla afloat during this covid-19 pandemic. A broken promise.
During the election campaign, members of the APM stated that the EC$1000 from the social security temporary unemployment benefit programme was not sufficient to take care of people’s needs. After the general elections, however, the APM Administration extended the unemployment program at social security up to today, but did not increase the amount from EC$1000 as they claimed they would do. A broken promise.
The APM Party promised during the campaign to provide affordable health care for all and free health care for persons over 70 years old and for revolutionary heroes. However, in January this year, this APM Government approved an increase in health fees by 100%, in some cases. A broken promise.
The APM party campaigned against the Goods & Services Tax, the GST, and promised that, if elected, they would not follow through on implementing it. However, on 23rd March 2021, this APM Government took the GST to the House of Assembly for its first reading, even in the face of a Petition from over 100 persons in Anguilla requesting that the first reading be postponed. A broken promise.
The vehicles that were purchased for the Ministers of Government were an issue prior to elections. At the time, the members of the APM Party were adamant that they would not drive the vehicles, but would sell them. After elections, however, the elected representatives and Ministerial Assistant are seen driving the Government vehicles. A broken promise.
This APM government campaigned on educating our young people and providing assistance for young entrepreneurs. On March 24th 2021, however, this Government announced that they would be cutting scholarships as well as funding for social programmes. A broken promise.
This APM Government criticized the advancements made with water and the resulting fees in order to ensure water could be delivered 24/7. On January 7th 2021, however, this Government approved the increase in water rates in Executive Council. A broken promise.
This APM Government criticized the high cost of electricity. In January 2021 this Government went to the House of Assembly and passed an increase of over 700% in the Petroleum licence, which is today being passed on to the consumer. No wonder – in the face of this increase – we are now hearing the Government’s push for Anguillians to purchase electric cars. A broken promise.
We have heard at least one Minister of Government loudly proclaim that no one can force you to take the vaccine and your job will be secure. Within weeks, we heard the same Minister say that if you do not get vaccinated you will not be able to work. Another broken promise.
We heard that same Minister undermine Anguillians’ attempts to educate and prepare themselves for key positions in Anguilla by stating that there is no such need to do so, as this Government can bring in non-Anguillians to fill those positions. What he has conveniently missed is the fact that these persons have already educated themselves, in some cases up to a Master’s degree, only to now be overlooked and disregarded.
Fellow Anguillians, there is so much more, but you get the point. One year on, you must be the judge of whether the promises made were lies told in order to get elected, or whether the promises were made without understanding how Government functions and the factors that must be weighed before making each and every decision. There is a stark difference between political rhetoric on the campaign trail and running a country.
One year on, we must ask ourselves are we better off now than we were before?
God Bless You and God Bless Anguilla.
Cora Richardson Hodge
Leader of the Opposition
