The Honourable Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism, Mr. Haydn Hughes, has brushed aside reports that certain entities in Anguilla, and outside the island, are being considered for investments in various public sector projects on the island.
One of those projects is the development of the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport which he disclosed is in fact a public/private partnership involving the Anguilla Government, the United Kingdom Government and the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC), an arm of the Government of Canada.
The CCC is described as: “A Canadian Federal Crown Corporation mandated to facilitate international trade on behalf of Canadian industry, particularly with governments of foreign companies.”
Speaking to The Anguillian newspaper, Mr. Hughes said: “I am sure you have heard the radio being inundated with these proposed projects that have been brought to the Government of Anguilla by some local agency. The truth of the matter is that a number of these projects were brought under the former administration through a company that the Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority, at the time, contracted. It is a company that has been wound up by this administration; a company that every project that comes to Anguilla would have a three percent fee. Let’s say, for example, the company would get a three percent of the development cost of the airport.
“But I want to say this: The British Government ultimately holds responsibility for Anguilla and it is how we can work with the British Government [in this relationship]. Everybody knows my position as it relates to colonialism, but it is how we can work with the British Government, as a strategic partner, to realise the development goals of Anguilla. And to that end we have an entrustment by the British Government. We have been given permission from Her Majesty’s Government right up to the top. The Minister has given us permission to engage with the Canadian Government, through the Canadian Minister of Finance, to look at the development of an international airport for Anguilla. And we have already said we are going forward because we have gotten the permission to do so – and it is a Government to Government situation. We know that is straight and above board.
“I, as the Minister, responsible for ports, have told the CCC that we will be speaking with them exclusively about the airport. This means that we will not be entertaining anybody else at this time. We want them to have the confidence that we are a serious Government about moving forward – that we are not playing games and talking to fifteen other people. We are talking to the CCC exclusively. If it works out, it works out. If it does not, then we can talk with someone else but, at this present time, we have an agreement with, and permission from, Her Majesty’s Government. For those persons who think we can tell Her Majesty’s Government this and that, it doesn’t work so. We are governed by a Constitution and laws. This is not a situation, like in 1967, when we decided to do whatever we wanted. We are now in a different place and we must be responsible.”
Asked how the Government would proceed with the development of the airport in terms of resolving the land issue with the Lake’s family, Mr. Hughes replied: “That discussion is going to be had. We have ten acres right now, but we will need some additional land – not only going out, but also to the sides. Once we get to the threshold of 700 feet in length, we also must have a width of some 150 feet which means that the security fencing will have to be expanded. We will have to build a new terminal building because, where it is now, it has to be relocated. These are some of the decisions to be made, but not just like that. We will not be doing the designing and engineering. That will be done by experts. CCC is a Canadian corporation. They did the international airport in Bermuda. They have worked in other British territories and that’s why there is a level of confidence – and it is a Government to Government arrangement. They have done the airport in Bermuda; and we have been granted permission for them to do the airport in Anguilla.”
Mr. Hughes said that Governor Foy wrote the Government of Anguilla in August this year, conveying the agreed position of the United Kingdom Government regarding the development of the Clayton J. Lloyd Airport in Anguilla.
The Anguilla Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism took the opportunity to speak to The Anguillian newspaper about other investment proposals in addition to the airport.
“There are some entities behind the scene which seem to want to pressure Government, internally and externally, using social media and the radio, to abandon this [the airport development] and to go chasing rainbows to develop a project that will never happen. This is because we are a non-self-governing territory and if we already have permission, then we must use that permission to see the realisation of having a true commercial Trans-Atlantic airport. I am not saying that the airport is going to be done next week, next month, or next year, but what we have is the permission to engage [the CCC] and to have meaningful discussion. The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Karim Hodge, and myself, along with the Honourable Premier and the entire Cabinet, have decided that this is the direction in which we are going and we have gotten the blessings of Her Majesty’s Government. Persons must understand that when that happens they need to give the matter a rest.”
Minister Hughes, who named some of the companies making the investment proposals, disclosed: “Another company was brought in to do the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal. In that agreement, we must negotiate a concession – perhaps up to thirty years – so that they can realise a return on their investment in the Blowing Point Ferry Terminal of 15,577 square-feet. But the Anguilla Programme, which is really a grant from Her Majesty’s Government, envisions that we are going to have a Blowing Point Ferry Terminal at a size of 15,500 square-feet without any contingencies. If we have to decide between both of them, which one should we go with? Obviously, the Anguilla Programme project which has no encumbrances, no liabilities – and it is ours and we don’t have to pay anybody for it.”
Mr. Hughes went on: “There are also other projects, such as a cruise terminal adjacent to Shannon Hill, to develop mega cruise tourism in Anguilla. We have not yet determined that we want to develop mega cruise tourism in Anguilla. It is my view that we should have a cruise industry. During my time, as Parliamentary Secretary, in the Hubert Hughes’ administration, I went out aggressively and was able to attract and bring to Anguilla small luxury cruise ships that have done us well, and continue to serve us well over the years until Covid. But we have not yet taken a decision to embark on mega cruise tourism – and before we can make a decision like that, we will need to do widespread public consultation to determine whether or not we have the appetite to have mega cruise tourism, and how that will marry with our existing product.”
Commenting further on what he described as pressure being put on the Government, Mr. Hughes asserted: “To those persons who are using different means of trying to pressure this administration, they must understand this administration is united behind one leader – and that leader is Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster. This administration has the same view as Dr. Webster as to how we move forward with the national development of this country. We do not do things in an ad hoc manner. We consult and have meaningful discussions on various matters. Even when we disagree, we come to an agreement as to where we want to go.
“The position of Dr. Webster is the same position of Haydn Hughes; the same position of the Honourable Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers. It is the same position of the Honourable Quincia Gumbs-Marie; the Honourable Kyle Hodge; the Honourable Kenneth Hodge; and the Honourable Merrick Richardson. We are united as it relates to the national development of this country, and we will come forward more and more to speak to the general public on these matters.”
Mr. Hughes added: “I just wanted to give you [The Anguillian newspaper] an exclusive interview as it relates to these issues.”
