The Anguilla House of Assembly, where laws are debated and passed, is the venue for a public consultation on five bills now under consideration.
The two-hour consultation will be from 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm. It is hoped that a large number of persons, from throughout Anguilla, will be in attendance to submit their views and ask questions.
All of the Bills received their first readings on Tuesday, December 1. That was when the Speaker, Mrs. Barbara Webster-Bourne, ruled that the draft pieces of legislation should go to public consultation before taken back to the House for debate and approval.
The Bills, circulated by the Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Kenneth Hodge, are as follows:
1. A Bill for Immigration and Passport (Amendment) Act 2020 – Under the hand of the Hon. Minister of Immigration Kenneth Hodge
OBJECTS AND REASONS: The objects and reasons of this Bill are to amend the Immigration and Passport Act to allow non-nationals to enter, reside, and work remotely in Anguilla for a period of 12 months. This is part of Government’s plan to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on the Anguillian economy by encouraging non-nationals to travel to Anguilla and reside for an extended period.
2. A Bill for Economic Residence (Amendment) (No 2) Act, 2020 – Under the hand of the Hon. Minister of Economic Development Kyle Hodge
OBJECTS AND REASONS: This Bill seeks to amend the Anguilla Economic Residence Act, 2019. (Act No. 15/2019) to provide an avenue for persons who have already invested in property in Anguilla (i.e. before 31st May 2019) to obtain residence by investment. It also makes consequential and other minor amendments to the principal Act.
3. A Bill for Select Anguilla Agency (Amendment) (No 2) Act, 2020 – Under the hand of the Hon. Minister of Economic Development Kyle Hodge
OBJECTS AND REASONS: The object and reason of this Bill is to amend the Select Anguilla Agency Act to remove reference to the Ministry of Finance and substitute with the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment, which is now separate from Ministry of Finance. It is anticipated that regardless of potential future changes to ministries, the Residency by Investment programme operated by Select Anguilla Agency will be aligned with the Ministry responsible for economic development and investment.
4. A Bill for Merchant Shipping (Amendment) Act, 2020 – Under the hand of the Hon. Minister of MICUH Haydn Hughes
5. A Bill for Financial Intelligence Unit Act, 2020 – Under the hand of the Hon. Attorney General Dwight Horsford
OBJECTS AND REASONS: The Financial Intelligence Unit Bill provides for the establishment of the Financial Intelligence Unit, for the investigation, detection, prevention and control of financial crimes and for connected matters.
