Many of us, for many years, said our financial challenges could not be blamed on “the British” because our leaders kept spending and borrowing. Not the governors.
Sadly, that spending and borrowing forced us into the shade. That is, our leaders burned themselves, and thus Anguilla, into yielding to whatever the British demanded, as they doubled our tax burden, and doubled it again, in a single generation.[1]
But then. The British acted legally, but immorally. Perhaps like seeing a speeding shark approach unwitting swimmers, without trying to warn them from the shore. Or more recently, seeing a shark attack and saying it is in the public interest to abandon the wounded swimmer on the beach. That is, after blaming the swimmer for getting in the water, and telling fishermen to stand down.
Our Share of the Blame for Financial Challenges: Buying Votes Year after Year
So. Why do they drown us in over $20 Million of taxes every month? When the same government had served us well on $5 Million, even $10 Million a month, how did such burdens arise? [1]
They tell us “Government” is doing things “for” us, as if we don’t pay for all they do. We pay salaries, wages, and expenses for them. Yet they try to justify what they take as if we build their sandcastles. That is, most investments for terminals, roads, medical facilities, and school rooms are made from loans and grants.[1] In short, they borrow our children’s futures to cut ribbons and take photos for vacation postcards and posts.
District 8? …Treating Government and Boards as a Voting Block
When not taking from one sandy pocket to stuff another among voters, they treat our government workers and politically appointed boards as an 8th district. Cars, allowances, travel, insurance, pensions, rental of buildings and heavy equipment from happy renters, paid board seats – while hiring and hiring – and hiring – their children and friends – and consultants, yet adding new departments to give department heads, well, big heads. [2,3,4]
They only carry water for their ministries, then force us to pay for whatever they want, including raises and promotions whenever they like.[5] Like a dip in the sea, our ministers soak us with every trip to the House for their own vigor in spending. Our interests are theirs for only one election day at the beach, before sending us away to pound sand – while they give “District 8” all they ask – for another 5 years.
British “Blame” Began with Bungling Budgets…
Every year, the British must approve an annual budget, because each is a law authorising government to spend our taxes. The British signed off on years – and years – of irresponsible hiring, borrowing, and bureaucratic bungling. Under the umbrella of “good governance” the governors were nonetheless about as bothered as parents sipping drinks while children built seaside forts and moats, repeatedly swamped by errant waves at the beach. Until.
Until they tired of sandcastles and told the children to bury one another up to their necks, pushing our most vulnerable into poverty. It was a destructive game on the hottest days of our lives after Irma and the blistering scorching from Covid.
They knew. They knew all along. Every unsustainable budget they approved added weight to that sand. Until they told the children a fairy tale that they could break free, if they piled on more, from GST!
Still. As the election neared, the British in Anguilla could plainly see we were choosing between alternatives to being buried by GST – or the weight of its full imposition. Rallies and radio shows put the issue into the light: The People wanted change, especially to avoid GST and ever higher waves of taxes. They dove into the water and swam in the polls.
…and Then the Shady British Crossed the Line!
’Seems a governor true to his oath would have been reporting campaign cries to the highest levels, while seeking a lifeguard to save our democracy. As the last votes were counted, it was clear the British would have to wipe out our election to complete their “GST mission” – you know, to add more sand while deep in the depths of Covid?
The People could have elected anyone. It didn’t matter. Weak willed or strong. Innocent children or sophisticated professionals. They could have put up a dauphin – or a dolphin – as premier! The People just wanted an alternative to GST ? and to “curb” all that spending.
But. The British crossed the line. Knowing what they knew, they knew it was shady to even ask about GST. Legal, but immoral. You know, like discrimination in South Africa was “legal” for generations? They knew exactly what they were doing when they asked to erase our election during the hottest days of our lives.
Domestic, Diplomatic Abuse: Legally Immoral
While they may hide in legal shadows, their immorality is lounging in the sun for all to see. When they asked our newly elected government to betray us on the blazing hot issue that elected them, it was a dishonourable act of domestic, diplomatic abuse – within hours.
And. They had no moral right to direct the Attorney General and Deputy Governor to override elected Ministers’ votes thereafter – nor seemingly condone reprehensible behaviour by another, in recent days.
Seeking Sun after Years of Shade
So. The shady British are to blame for our financial challenges, after all. After approving mounds of unsustainable taxes beneath it, and now wanting to bury us with GST.
The rest is farce and the games of children. The British are still looking the other way while our leaders are burying us deeper in taxes and debt. They defiled our democracy by asking newly elected leaders – even their appointees, to betray us. No matter who supports any party or government. No matter who curses the betrayal. They had no right to ask. While legal, it was immoral.
They must withdraw assent, reinstate the previous taxes, run the tax consultants off the beach, and restructure for sustainability – so we can begin to bask in the sunshine of prosperity.
Repeal GST – and pass a balanced budget bill. Now!
This article reflects cultural and economic issues raised on July 5, 2021, at the House Select Committee on GST Public Hearing. 12000-2023 GOA Budgets; 22023 GOA Budget, p. 11; 3 2023 GOA Budget, p. 17; 42020 GOA Budget, p.81; 5Minutes: 139th Meeting of The Twelfth Anguilla Executive Council, 8th June 2023.
