Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster, Leader of the Anguilla United Movement (AUM), the candidate for District 1, Island Harbour, and a practising Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon in West Palm Beach, Florida, and in Anguilla, has been back in his homeland for a few days.
He took the opportunity to speak in an interview with The Anguillian newspaper on Friday, March 2, at Island Harbour. There, he was among a crowd of supporters and others celebrating the birthday of the late James Ronald Webster. He told the newspaper about matters related to the 2020 general election, the preparation and reorganisation of the AUM and his own preparedness for that event.
“The committee to elect me in 2015, as the representative for District 1, which is Island Harbour, was formed in 2014,” he stated. “During that time we decided that an independent candidate cannot work in the Government to get anything done, and that has been proven by previous representatives for this district who served as independent candidates. They certainly did not get anything done so we joined the Anguilla United Movement.
“At that time, the Honourable Hubert Hughes, who was the Chief Minister, decided to retire from active politics and from being the AUM Leader. I was elected as the leader unanimously by the Anguilla United Movement. That was on November 15, 2014. Since then, I have remained as the leader. We contested the election of 2015, but did not win any seats – and have continued as a group, united, and looking forward to what the Government of the Anguilla United Front would try to do for this country.
“We feel that they have not represented themselves or represented the country well. The economy is in a tailspin. Hurricane Irma came and basically put the nail in the coffin, and Anguilla was in the dol-drum. I think the people have galvanized; they have come together and are united; and I think that is the type of spirit Anguillians have always had. It was lost for a while because of our political division. But Hurricane Irma helped to bring the people together. I think it allowed us to try to find how to make Anguilla better. Certainly, we have to pull ourselves out of the economic dol-drum, and have to help with the social degradation that has happened in our society with gun violence and crime.
“These are things that bother me, and have really weighed hard upon my heart, that I feel we have to do things that will help the country to move forward. But we have to help our young people. One of the goals of the Anguilla United Movement in the next election, 2020, is that we want to appeal to the young people because they feel disenfranchised. They feel that none of the parties has really looked out for their interest, and they are the ones who have been burdened with the Banking Resolution, basically, where we have to pay social security 214 million dollars for the next 25 years and have to pay the high end depositors’ 52 million dollars.
“That burden falls upon the young people. So we feel that the young people need to be represented; to have a say and we are open to their concerns. We also feel that they need to be part of Anguilla’s growth. They need to be on board so that they can make a contribution rather than only lip service.”
Dr. Webster continued: “In the 2015 general election I got 412 votes. I lost by 48 to the front runner. I think that for those 412 people who stood with me, and voted for me, I cannot let them down because they are the ones who are trying to lead this district and certainly setting the pace for the rest of the country. There is a need for change in our Government, and for new blood with people who have had international experience, and who have access to a network, and so far we have not been tapped into that. We know that Anguilla right now is in a bad state and the only way we can really help our island is to make sure that we have foreign investment. If we have to diversify we can’t just have tourism as our sole economic bucket. We have to open up. We think that healthcare is important because there is medical tourism which can make this country move, and also provide access to healthcare that is so far not accessible to this country.
“If we can make it so that people who have chronic communicable diseases have access to healthcare in this country, we will not only take care of own people who are dying, but who cannot afford to go elsewhere for treatment. We also have people coming here who know that they have some medical backup and can enjoy the sun, sand, sea – and most of all, the love of our people. We have the best people in the Caribbean, maybe even the best people in the world.”
Speaking about plans for the election of AUM candidates in the other electoral constituencies, Dr. Webster said: “The committee in Island Harbour is dedicated to district 1. As you know, Anguilla’s elections are based on districts. We represent district 1, Island Harbour, and the committee is made up of people from Island Harbour. However, the committee is tied in the Anguilla United Movement which will field candidates in each of the seven districts.
“The idea is that the committee members will put forward a strategy and an understanding of the lay of the land which will all be fed into the Anguilla United Movement. That body is working with us so that we can win enough seats to be in Government to be able to function; to help with making policy; to reverse policies that were made and are detrimental to us as a people. All the different districts have cell groups and are committed to the larger grouping which is the Anguilla United Movement.”
Commenting on reports about a reorganisation of the AUM, the leader had this to say: “We have decided to restructure. If, you don’t change, you die. That is how we look at it. Any political party, or other organisation, has to change with the times. We feel that Anguilla is at a point right now where you need skilled persons to move this country forward. We have basically gone back from where we were in 2015 and we feel we must have persons who are capable of standing to represent Anguilla in the elections. We also feel that young people and women need to be better represented because, so far, in Anguilla, we have not found that to be the case. There is a subtle enfranchisement which has occurred here, so the Anguilla United Movement has restructured and has a democratic process where we set up district election teams so that people in the districts can get together and decide who their candidates should be, and can best represent their interest not only for their district, but Anguilla in general. We have found that there are younger people who have come into the party; have made suggestions and contributions; and we feel that has allowed us to be able to have a more encompassing and diverse representation.”
Asked whether he was in a position to say what changes may have been made so far, the AUM leader replied: “I can tell you that in district 3 we have made a change, but I can’t tell you at this point who the [new] candidate will be for the Anguilla United Movement. I just can say that through the election process Mr. Elkin Richardson is no longer going to be the candidate representing district 3 for the Anguilla United Movement. Most of the districts so far will have returning candidates from 2015. But, at this point in time, I don’t want to go into the full slate. At a later date, I will find you and give you the full slate as the district election process finalises.”
Dr. Webster gave this message to the people of Anguilla: “It is very obvious that when the Anguilla United Movement was voted out of office on April 22nd, 2015, Anguilla was on an upward trajectory. There was a 7 percent growth in the first quarter of 2015, and we had gone from a negative 16.9 percent in 2009/2010. There was a surplus of 6 million dollars and reserves of 33 million dollars. That has all been wiped out and we are now in negative territory with this Government. In fact, the insurance fund which we received after the hurricane was used to pay civil servants’ salaries because the Government has basically squandered what was left behind.
“I think the Anguilla United Movement has shown that we have been prudent; we have been fiscally safe; we have helped Anguilla and I think this is where we are right now. I want to end on a positive note though. Anguilla has so much potential. The people of Anguilla are great. We have to look out for our children and our grandchildren. We have to make sure that we leave in Anguilla a sustainable economy with progress that can continue for years and years to come. I don’t think right now that is the situation we have in this country – under the current administration.
“Our Government has really put us in a situation where we have gone from the gem of the Caribbean to the beggars of the Caribbean. It is time for us, as a people, to help each other, struggle together, and survive together as we did during Hurricane Irma. That has always been the spirit of Anguillians – that no matter how hard it is, what obstacles come our way – that we have the love for each other that brought us together. I think we need to draw on that right now and so, going forward, I want us all, as Anguillians, to put our hands together to make this country better. Right now, we are not in a good place but we can and have the potential and the ability to make Anguilla better. I think the Anguilla United Movement is the only party that can do that. Our motto is: ‘The AUM can do better.’”
