Inside the Anguilla House of Assembly
A just-completed renovated House of Assembly will see the beginning of its new and eleventh session when it meets this Friday afternoon, July 17.
It is the first sitting of the House, officially referred to as the Atlin Noraldo Parliamentary Building, since the general elections on June 29.
The main agenda items include the swearing in of a Speaker, a Deputy Speaker and the Government and Opposition Elected Members. Unlike the previous House of Assembly, there are eleven Elected Members instead of seven. The increase in membership was occasioned by the recent amendments to the Anguilla Constitution, providing for greater democracy in the House of Assembly.
The traditional arrangement for two Nominated Members has been abolished under the new constitutional amendments.
The Government’s side of the House comprises seven Elected Members, with Premier Dr. Ellis Webster being the Leader of Government Business.
The Opposition, comprising the four Elected Members of the Anguilla United Front, is led by former Minister of Home Affairs, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge. It is the first time that there is such a large number of Opposition Members.
The Atlin Noraldo Parliamentary Building was severely damaged by Hurricane Irma in September 2017. After a considerable period of disrepair, the building was substantially renovated as part of the sixty million pounds Anguilla Programme financed by the UK Government. The money, in humanitarian aid, covered various hurricane-hit public sector projects including health, education and port facilities.
During the closure of the Parliamentary Building, the adjoining Magistrate’s Court was used for sittings of the House of Assembly.
