My fellow Anguillians, four years ago you exercised your democratic right and with an overwhelming majority you chose the Anguilla United Front Team to be your Government to manage the affairs of our beloved island over the ensuing five year period. I give God the praise and thanks that through one of the most difficult periods in our history He has brought us this far by faith. It is an undeniable fact that this administration has had four difficult and challenging years in an equally hostile and toxic environment but by His grace and mercy we have made it to this point.
The journey was not without its bumps and hollows along the way but I am confident that we can reflect with thanksgiving and celebration for all that we have been able to achieve for you the people of Anguilla.
Over the last few weeks you have heard from all of my colleagues the record of achievements over the past four years. No administration is able to please and satisfy all at the same time but I am sure that many of you have been well pleased with what you have heard thus far.
Let me at this juncture express my thanks to all those persons throughout the length and breadth of Anguilla who have and continue to support me and this Government with your prayers, encouragement and words of inspiration as well as for your constructive criticisms with candour and openness when you felt that there was a need to do so.
I must however specifically pay tribute to my many loyal supporters in the Road North constituency for helping me on this journey. I believe that it is also well in order to express thanks to the many public officers and particularly those in the Ministry of Home Affairs, without whose help and assistance our tasks would have been more difficult.
The many talk shows hosts who daily inundated the airwaves over the past four years with more negativity than solutions but have given many of us the ability to focus, grow and mature. I am one for sure who have become insulated and resilient to the negativity and propaganda. I do like the Premiers slang that while they talk we deliver.
On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Radio Anguilla which comes under the portfolio of the Ministry of Home Affairs it is only in order that I take this opportunity to congratulate you and thank you for fifty years of excellent service in the field of broadcasting. You are indeed the voice of choice in maintaining the integrity of good and balanced broadcasting bringing real and factual information to the listening public. I comment you and urge you to continue in this vein so as to maintain your brand of superior broadcasting.
It is an undeniable fact that when this Government ascended to power in April of 2015, we inherited some of the most difficult and challenging issues to face any administration. Mainly among these were the Banking crisis, the ongoing Cap Juluca saga, and then the catastrophic category five Hurricane Irma leaving in its path a horrendous trail of destruction and devastation.
While I do not wish to rehash all that was previously said by my colleagues, these three issues in particular were indeed very critical ones.
I am, therefore, constrained to pay tribute to our Leader the Hon Victor Franklyn Banks, for his astute, calm and assertive leadership qualities in sailing and steering us through these turbulent waters. He was determined by all costs to have the banking situation resolved to the point that I witnessed him shedding long tears in the Executive Council Chambers while trying to resolve this matter. One of the options among many which this Government met on the table was for depositors to take a hair cut meaning that a percentage of their deposits would have been used to help solve the banking situation and consequently their deposits would have been reduced by this percentage. The Hon Chief Minister supported by his team, felt that this would not be fair to the depositors and fiercely rejected this option. He was adamant that the customers of the bank must be guaranteed full protection on their deposits. I was told in no uncertain terms that the bank will collapse and I know that there were those who for no other reason than politics wished to see the failure and collapse of the indigenous banking sector on this island. But this team had confidence in our leader that the right decision was being made. And today every well meaning Anguilla should be proud to see the outcome in recognition of the fact that our indigenous banking sector has been a major engine that has propelled and will continue to propel our socio economic growth in terms of being able to build our homes, educate our children, buy land and other property and assets. It is evident that the NCBA is the beacon of the banking and financial sector in Anguilla as it continues to shape and sustain the economic landscape of our island. The NCBA seems to be bursting at its seems and I encourage you the people of Anguilla to continue to build your trust and confidence in your bank. Thanks to the Board, management and staff for so efficiently and effectively weathering the storm through those initial difficult periods in particular.
Another big issue was the ongoing Cap Juluca saga with our Leader taking the right decisions with the support of his team to unify this property under one owner and once again returning it to the flagship position it once held. While there are some labour related issues at this property which are presently being looked at by the Hon Minister, myself and her team in collaboration with the management, we must nevertheless thank the owners and investors of this property as well as all the others properties for partnering with the Government to create employment for our people. All we ask is that Management be fair and honest in all their dealings with their employees and seek to build an harmonious working relationship and likewise that employees be fair and honest with their employers upholding the mantra Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Where Anguillians are suitably fit and qualified for a position in these establishments it is only right and fair all that first and foremost they should be given first preference in the job market. Recruiting persons from overseas under false pretence who at times are not even as qualified as our own local staff should never be an option.
Hurricane Irma tested our weaknesses, our strengths and our resilience but our resilience conquered and thank God we are back on a path to full recovery and restoration. Thanks to all our local, regional, and international partners and agencies who came to our aid at such a critical time. Our hardworking Governor and his staff must also be highly commended for mobilizing substantial assistance, financial and otherwise, to assist us during this time and beyond. Thank you Governor Foy and staff.
Turning to our own Ministry, the Ministry for Home Affairs, for the past four years I have had the distinct pleasure to be working along with the Hon Cora Richardson-Hodge as her Ministerial Assistant. I must commend her for so ably leading this Ministry which carry the portfolios of Labour, Immigration Education, Constitutional and Electoral Reform. Her effective leadership is unquestionable and in the face of much opposition and negativity especially from those who are not in position to dictate to her, she has demonstrated her authority, her boldness, her strength and resilience as she passionately, against all odds to gets the job done. This administration is fortunate to have the benefit of her legal expertise and thoughtful and sound analysis and judgement on the issues. This is the kind of leadership which after almost thirty years has enable us to make such advanced progress on the process of constitutional and electoral reform after so many attempts by various Governments and committees. She was unwavering in her resolve to push forward with this issue which just recently resulted in an amendment to the Constitution, while the broader aspect of total constitutional reform is actively ongoing. These amendments fellow Anguillians were not about cherry picking parts of the constitution but instead those parts which directly impacted the social status of many Anguillians and which she felt necessary to put in place before the next general election. Amendments which in effect were not that complex or complicated but were rather agreed on in common by all, as expressed in the various previously submitted draft constitutions. These admendments included:
Changing the name of Chief Minister to Premier a change which appeared to be neither here nor there to the the Hon Victor Franklyn Banks.
Having a limit of two terms for the Premier. Establishing a procedure in the event the Premier is incapacitated, ill, or has died.
Making provision for Ministers of Religion and persons with dual nationality to seek elected office
There is now no need for example, for those with US citizenship as was the case with the Hon McNeil Rogers or the Leader of the AUM to rescind their US nationality.
Recognition of grandchildren as Anguillians. Fellow Anguillians, These are all amendments which should be gladly embraced. This was so evidently demonstrated recently when I was invited to a meeting by the Anguilla Association in Tortonto and they were all so extremely happy to hear this news. What was even more heartwarming was the fact that the same very children of Anguillian heritage who would have been denied this priviledge or had to wait for a more extended period, were the ones running, organizing and conducting the meeting all for the benefit of Anguilla. What is the justification for someone with no family ties to Anguilla being able to acquire Anguillian status after fifteen years as opposed to those grandchildren with an established blood line in Anguilla. Kudos to you Madam Minister your hard work has borne good fruit. Today, we have an amended constitution passed by Order in Council which came into effect on the 14th of May.
It is incumbent on me to mention the progress we have made along with the Department of Labour and the Ag’s Chambers on updating and modernizing the Labour legislation to replace the outdated Fair Labour Standard Act which was more than thirty years old. Some of the more noticeable changes from this piece of legislation that are reflected in the new legislation is the inclusion of severance pay, the curtailing of yearly one year contracts, paternity leave among others. There was considerable push back and opposition to some of the provisions in the Labour Legislation but we maintained that such provisions were in line with present day realities and good employment practices in the workplace.
Sadly there still remains a culture of fear in the workplace as it relates to employees standing up for their rights and seeking internvention when they feel that they are not being treated equitably and fairly. Fear in the sense that they think they would loose their jobs. This appears to be even more noticeable in the hospitality industry. The International Labour Organisation has a decent work platform and under Article 7 of the International Convention on the Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of workers it defines decent work as employment that respects the fundamental rights of employees in terms of conditions of work, health and safety, remuneration as well as respect for the physical and mental integrity of the employee in the workplace. To be in such fear for seeking out your basic human rights in the workplace cannot therefore and I repeat cannot be classified as decent work. Management in these establishments should reflect on this and make an effort to bring some peace and calm and equity to their employees where there is evidence of this. In no way shape or form can there be justification for any establishment to offer a higher rate of pay to completely new entrants over those employees who have been working in the same position, similarly qualified, and with much more experience for a considerable longer period and at the same time expect the older employees to train the new entrants. It is unfair and a direct recipe for low morale, chaos, confusion and less than a harmonious working environment.
In the next few weeks we will see the start of a robust public sector investment programme which hopefully will sustain construction jobs for some time and also further stimulate economic activity. This includes the rebuilding of the physical infrastructure of our education system, the ferry terminal, South Hill Polyclinic among others.
Reflecting on the past four years there is no doubt that there is light at the end of the tunnel as the economic and fiscal outlook of our island looks brighter.
On a lighter note, I have to make this interjection. On my recent trip overseas I was told rather humourously by a friend that they did not know that I engaged in obeah. I said where did you get that from. He went on to say that he was listening to a radio station in AXA and heard that the members of my party took a trip to SXM and bathed in this pond to be able to win the election. I laughed and said that the closest I have been to an obeah man is the one who was making those nonsensical utterances. That is the only obeah man I know. The next question was do people really listen to that crap. I said you were thousands of miles away and you were listening so why not? It is just like entertainment for those who like to hear gossip.
Fellow Anguillians come 2020 you will again be given the opportunity to install a government of your choice. There will always be winners and loosers but with maturity we must be able to accept and respect the decision of the majority of the people. And so as we continue in the next year or so to forge ahead as we work for the benefit of the people of Anguilla we also seek the guidance and wisdom of the Father above and the unity of all.
It is my hope that as the economic and financial situation improve we would be in a position to see more tangible improvements and developments throughout Anguilla and in our respective constituencies. I am nonetheless appreciative of the kind of social interaction that over the past four years I have been able to enjoy with the people of the Road North constituency specifically and the majority of the Anguillian public generally.
To my Colleagues: We all have worked hard to deliver to the people of Anguilla. Thanks Hon Curtis Love for a steady flow of water 24/7. Thanks Hon Minister Rogers for among other things an improved and aesthetically pleasing hospital ambience. Just to mention one patient remarked to me that he thought he was in a hotel. Thanks Hon Cora Richardson-Hodge for so ably advancing the Electoral and Constitutional Reform Process, Thanks Hon Cardigan Connor for all your efforts in building and improving the tourism product along with the Tourism Board, Thanks Hon Premier Mr Victor Franklyn Banks, for bringing it all together with your professional leadership. Together against all the odds we must feel proud of all that as a cohesive team were were able to achieve.
Fellow Anguillians and especially to all our supporters: be unshaken, be immovable and be confident that your Team will continue to deliver for the common good of Anguilla and all Anguillians. To God be the Glory
May God bless you and bless Anguilla.
