The Opposition Anguilla United Front told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday this week that independence, as talked about loosely on the island, was not a simple matter; that, although eventually desirable, it was not an immediate necessity; and that Anguillians needed to be consulted by way of a referendum.
The AUF’s response came as a new Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission, chaired by Rev. John A. Gumbs, has been tasked by Government to work towards an Independent Constitution for Anguilla.
“We are here to shed some light with regards to our position,” Opposition Leader, Evans M. Rogers, said. “A letter from the Chairman actually said that one of the terms of reference given to that Committee is to prepare a Constitution for independence and that he has been given the powers to co-opt [members]”.
Mr. Rogers continued: “With regards to independence and electoral and constitutional reform, I think that from a personal standpoint it seems to me that we are going through a political circus so to speak. There have been several Constitutional Committees in the past and the present Administration, just over two and a half years in office, has already had two such committees…I am not so sure if this Independent Constitution, or the whole notion of independence, is the expressed will of the people at this particular point in time…I don’t know what is the framework or process of the procedure whereby the people will be involved in such an exercise…I am not so sure that the people of Anguilla really and truly understand what we are getting into. I don’t know what the procedure is in terms of educating and informing the people. I don’t know how prepared we are from an information standpoint, as to what is necessary in terms of moving into independence…”
AUF member, Cora Richardson-Hodge, who served on the previous Constitutional Commission, chaired by Rev. Dr. Clifton Niles, said: “The Anguilla United Front does support independence, but the question is whether or not we support independence at this particular point in time. I would say that the Anguilla United Front does not support independence at this point in time. What we support, is an educational process as to the pros and cons of independence so that our people are able to make a firm decision, are able to consider all the relevant factors, and decide at that point in time whether yes they want to go independent or not.
“If Anguillians decide that we want to take our country into independence, then the Anguilla United Front would fully support that, and fully agree with any decision that is made by the people of Anguilla. It must be by the people of Anguilla and not by any Government.”
Mrs. Richardson-Hodge said the AUF’s long held view was that “first and foremost there was a need to bring economic stability back to Anguilla before we rush the issue of independence.” Instead, the party wants a full educational process for the people of Anguilla, but that process had not started.
She continued: “In September 2011 a Constitutional Committee was created in order to prepare a Constitution for full internal self-government. The draft was not sanctioned by the members of the Constitutional Committee and they were asking for the removal of Rev. Niles [the Chairman]. That Committee came to an end when its term expired in March 2012. It was with surprise when we received a letter in August of 2012 from Rev. Johnny Gumbs, indicating that he was now the Chairman of a new Constitutional Committee; and informing us, in a separate letter, that his terms of reference were not for full internal self-government, but was in fact for independence.
“This was a surprise to us, as at no point in time have we seen any true educational process being conducted; and we have not seen where the people of Anguilla have been given the pros and cons and the timing. What is the plan that this Government has if it is that we are supposed to go independent? We have been hearing in different press statements by the Chief Minister, and other persons, that Anguilla’s only choice, in order to improve the economic situation, is to go independent. However, we have seen that no set plan has been put in place. That is one of the major concerns for us.
“We have a situation in Anguilla where a number of people are without jobs; children are unable to go to school because parents do not have any food for them; they have difficulties providing school books, shoes and socks – the basics that every household was accustomed of having a few years ago. Families in Anguilla are now struggling to be able to make ends meet. There has been an increase in taxes – at the gas stations, taxes on telephone bills, and goods at the grocery stores. Everywhere there has been a serious increase in the cost of living…At this time we are not seeing where the Government has put in place anything that would allow some sort of ease for the people of Anguilla. No plan has been provided to us as to where the country is going. More so, if we are talking about independence, then basic questions need to be answered.”
AUF’s Leader, Victor Banks, stated: “The crux of the issue, and why we are here, is because we received a correspondence from Rev. Gumbs… He told us that he has received direction from the Government/Chief Minister to prepare an Independence Constitution, and that he has been given permission, the authority, to co-opt persons to do so…
“We believe the steps to be taken to independence, require a referendum. It is ironic that we should be receiving this correspondence from Rev. Gumbs. He is someone who is very much involved in ensuring that the rights of people are expressed…He seems to be taking on whatever instructions he received from the Government and the Chief Minister, in particular,[and not] to recognise the importance of the people in this equation. It has been said more than ten centuries ago that ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God’”. In a situation like this, where we are making a serious decision as regards where we are going as a country, we must take in account the views of the people.”
Mr. Banks said that there had been statements made to the United Nations Committee of 24 on self-determination “that the majority of the people of Anguilla, including the Opposition, are crying out for independence.” He stressed that such a statement “gives the feeling that if we are not careful, it may be assumed that everybody is ready to make this move. We are here to say that is not the case.”
He went on: “We have been told by the British Government that when we decide that we want to take on the mantle of an independent nation, they will not stand in the way provided that it is the expressed will of the people…There is not, to my mind, a clear strategic plan for what happens after the decision is made to go into independence; and we have not educated our people sufficiently that they can make an informed decision.”
Mr. Banks said there were a number of fundamental questions relating to self-reliance which must be considered. These included how independence would affect Anguilla’s tourism industry; the financial services industry and to ensure it survives and improves; the island’s exclusive economic zone; training and educational options; trading relationships and other matters.
Banks added: “We have a responsibility, as the Anguilla United Front, to make it known to the people of Anguilla that we suspect, and feel, that there is a move to fast track our country into independence without sufficient consultation and education of the people on the issues that affect us.”
