I wish to report to my fellow Anguillians that Her Excellency the Governor Miss Christina Scott today, Wednesday, April 6th, 2016, has informed me that the 2016 Budget has been assented to.
Chief Minister Banks in his absence as of Monday, April 4th thru 9th, 2016 gave me an opportunity to serve as the Acting Chief Minister. That said Monday, April 4th, 2016, at approximately 9:00PM, I read an email from Dr. Aidan Harrigan informing me that the Hon. Minister for the Overseas Territories Mr. James Duddridge had sent a letter regarding the 2016 Budget to Chief Minister Banks dated the 4th April, 2016 and it need to be responded to immediately.
I read the letter sent and I reviewed the proposed response letter and we made some changes. On Tuesday, April 5th, 2016, at 8:20AM, I met Dr. Harrigan at the Ministry of Finance to affix my signature to the final version of the response letter. I was informed that the letter had been sent to Her Excellency Governor Scott.
The Governor has informed me early Wednesday, April 6th, 2016, that the 2016 Budget has been assented to.
I wish to thank firstly the Anguilla public and the Anguilla Public Service who despite the apparent setbacks continued to pursue life at a diligent pace ensuring that Anguilla remained fit for human habitation. I also wish to thank the hard working team in the Ministry of Finance, Dr. Aidan Harrigan, Mrs. Shona Proctor, and others for their unwavering confident in their individual and collective abilities to navigate the demands and paper icebergs ensuring Anguilla realizes her desired haven. I wish to thank my ministerial colleagues Hon. Mcneil Rogers, Hon. Cora Richardson-Hodge, Hon. Cardigan Connor, and Hon. Evalie Bradley for our collective honest supportive roles for comrade Banks in this long and protracted ordeal.
I must thank Her Excellency the Governor Miss Christina Scott for the role she played, which at times I note were never easy, having often to be the bearer of bad news and difficult demands. Usually in the heat of most moment one has to be reminded there is a difference between the messenger and the message. This moment I believe must undoubtedly be a time of refreshing as the message is very fitting of the messenger. We must always bear in mind that our Governor has a dual carriage role that must be extremely complicated and can leave one torn on any matter having to interact with both sides in a professional manner.
I also wish to thank the Hon. James Duddridge for his role in scrutinizing, asking the hard questions, and assenting to the 2016 Budget. It is only when we are examined, tested, and tried that people get to see what we are truly made of. It is true today once more for the Anguillian that that all things are possible to them that believe. Sadly though, over the recent years in the budgetary exercises many see the display of each man in the discharge of his responsibilities as us again them. Obviously today from Anguilla to London back to Anguilla the theme is that we are all in this together albeit with differing roles, outlooks and responsibilities.
Last and by no means least, I must thank the Hon. Chief Minister Victor Franklin Banks, who through much brilliant thought, toiling sweat, passionate tears and decisive leadership persevered despite frustrations and delays. All of Anguilla knows that the Banking Resolution features greatly in the 2016 Budget. We crave the full support of all Anguillians as we move the country upwards, onwards and forward. The Chief Minister as the Leader of Government Business and on his return will speak for himself in full on these matters, but today I speak for him when I say delayed is not denied. We are well able to do great exploits.
It is only good humour that the very thing Mr. Banks toiled for months and wrote several letters to accomplish, seemingly in 24 hours, with one letter, under my watch has come to pass. It is a real life lesson learnt in that we sometimes get to reap vineyard that we have not laboured in. I pray earnestly that this joy of overcoming become contagious for all, those living within as well as without Anguilla’s borders.
Indeed this moment is not an end in itself for us as a government. It only signals a renewal in our commitment to press on to greater achievements of the future. It gives the government greater stability to tackle the demands and issues confronting our beloved country for which all Anguillians have charged us since April 23rd, 2015 to address. It breathes new life and authority into the minds and hands of the hardworking Civil Servants who are eager to see their country rise again. It gives investors and citizens the confidence that Anguilla is still the best place on the planet for investment. Rest assured that government will deliver. Our mantra in the election was “we will fix it.” By the help of the Almighty coupled with the great tenacity of the Anguilla people fix it we must and we will. Indeed this moment calls for deep introspection and retrospection. Yet one thing is certain and that is, Anguilla needs you, needs us all now more than ever before. Her destiny is of our collective choosing. Let us stand tall and summons all that is within us and about us so as to usher in the dawn of a day in which we proclaim that our finest hour has come. Let us be sober and vigilant until that day! May God bless Anguilla!!
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
