30th November 2021
Speaker of the Anguilla House of Assembly
Anguilla House of Assembly
Atlin Noraldo Harrigan O.B.E. Parliament Building
P.O. Box 60
The Valley
Anguilla, BWI
Attn: Honourable Mrs. Barbara Webster-Bourne
Dear Honourable Madam Speaker,
RE: REQUEST FROM LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION TO MAKE PERSONAL EXPLAlNATION UNDER THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY (PROCEDURE) RULES, 2021
I refer to the above-mentioned matter and to the Second Meeting of the Second Session of the
Twelfth House of Assembly sitting which took place on 23rd November 2021 .
During the said Meeting you proceeded to make remarks regarding Rule l 0(2) of the House of Assembly (Procedure) Rules 2021 (‘”the HOA Rules”), and stated the following:”… As members of this Assembly, you are elected or appointed as the case may be and paid. Paid to work on behalf of the people of this island in this Honourable Assembly. As leaders. we must be responsible and we must lead by example. We are quick, very quick to criticize young people when they break the rules. And the reality is these same young people are watching and following our actions. When we choose to abuse our own rules, what message are we sending? What picture are we portraying? .. ”
It is regrettable that you made such statements, especially without first taking the opportunity to speak with the members of the Opposition in the Anguilla House of Assembly (“HOA”) in general, or as Leader of the Opposition in particular, so as to understand the basis for the Opposition walking out of the Anguilla House of Assembly on 9th November 2021.
As you will recall, when I sought leave from you to make a personal explanation so as to respond to your remarks pursuant to Section 54 of the HOA Rules, you refused same and advised that I could make the request at the next sitting of the House. Pursuant to the said Rule, I hereby present to you my written request to make a personal explanation at the next sitting of the HOA and the precise contents of the proposed statement.
With respect to the statements made by your good self, my personal explanation is as follows:
By way of background, the First Meeting of the Second Session of the Twelfth House of Assembly held on 9th November 2021 ought to have been an important milestone in Anguilla’s history, as it would have been the first time that the Premier would have presented the Government’s Legislative Programme under Rule 13 of the HOA Rules. Instead, what transpired turned out to be a mockery of the HOA Rules and an improper use of the HOA.
I draw your attention to the meeting between yourself, the Honourable Premier and I held in Chambers just before the start of the HOA sitting on 9th November 2021. At that time, I raised objection to the fact that I had only received the legislative programme at 1:30pm the previous afternoon (not 24 hours before the sitting as has been claimed by the Honourable Premier) and indicated I would be requesting an adjournment in order to reply pursuant to Rule 13 of the HOA Rules.
The Honourable Premier, in his response, advised that the legislative programme had not gone to Executive Council and was “an APM legislative programme”. He further stated that his speech was a political speech, although the legislative programme would be referenced in his speech.
I was shocked and amazed that the Honourable Premier could make such statements, as there is a clear distinction between a political party agenda and a “Government Legislative Programme”. A political party agenda has no place in the HOA and is not only a waste of the HOA time, but also of the people’s time and our country’s valuable and limited resources. I immediately advised that:
(i) if the legislative programme was not approved in Executive Council then what was being presented was not a “Government Legislative Programme” as required by the HOA Rules and therefore ought not to have come to the House as a party programme; and (ii) the HOA should not be used as a political platform for the Honourable Premier and he ought to instead take to the political platform to make such a presentation.
Further, as you are aware, we rely on the practice and procedure as exists in the UK in the event there is a lacuna (a gap) in our rules. Erskine May clearly sets out the procedure for a similar exercise (the Queen’s Speech) in the UK and it is clear that the Leader of the Opposition moves for an adjournment until the following day. Notwithstanding this, you advised that you would have the House vote on my request for adjournment – which in my humble view was a nonsensical approach as my request would have certainly been voted down by the majority in the House.
Let me state at this point that I clearly stated during that meeting to both you and the Honourable Premier that I had no other option but to take the matter to the people of Anguilla. I raise that to say that the Honourable Premier ought not to have suggested that I brought confidential information to the public. We were discussing the so-called “Government Legislative Programme” and the procedure which ought to pertain in the Anguilla HOA. All ofthis is the people’s business.
Your statement that as leaders we must lead by example was on point, but misdirected. The people’s House must not be abused.
Our leaders must not use the HOA to attack and malign people’s reputations, especially when those persons are not in the HOA to defend themselves, and where the members of the House have immunity.
Our leaders must not misuse the House to bring political party agendas which do not have the stamp of government approval from Executive Council and seek to pass same off as a “Government Legislative Programme”.
As a result of the above, the members of the Opposition had no other option but to express their disappointment as to the misuse of the Rules of the HOA by leaving the HOA prior to the start of the Premier’s unofficial ‘·APM legislative programme”).
In speaking of abuse and misuse, Madam Speaker, I wish to take the opportunity to touch on additional statements made by your good self during the same HOA sitting on 23rct November 2021:
“…And speaking of abuse, at this time I wish to applaud the Honourable member for Valley South on her mission of 16 days of activism against gender based violence. Especially regarding women.
As statistics show 80% of violence is perpetrated against women right here in Anguilla. And these cases are growing. We see evidence now where women are abusing women. And women are abusing young girls, very young girls. Especially in the area of sports in Anguilla. Right here in our football association. And I want us to pay keen attention to this because this is growing. But we will get to that in another sitting….”
While I am not aware of the facts of the matters to which you refer. your statements on said day led the ordinary person to believe that untoward and alarming actions by women against little girls were taking place in the Anguilla Football Association. If indeed, these statements were of a personal nature, then with all due respect it was entirely inappropriate for you to use your positon as Speaker of the House. our highest institution in our land, to promulgate such statements.
I am sensitive to the fact that this is the first time that all except one of the members on the Government side have sat in the HOA and therefore may not be fully aware as to the proper rules and procedures to follow. It is hoped that, in your position as Speaker of the House, you are able to not only guide those new members of the HOA but also to make fair and impartial decisions in our Honourable House.
I look forward to your approval for me to make the personal explanation as outlined herein at the next HOA.
Yours sincerely,
Cora Richardson Hodge
Leader of the Opposition
Anguilla House of Assembly
