As Governor Tim Foy, OBE, prepares to leave Anguilla, at the end of three-and-a-half years, he spoke to The Anguillian newspaper about the importance of the Governor working with the Government to achieve its national objectives and policies.
“There are some responsibilities that remain with the Governor, in the Constitution, such as external security, aviation, maritime security and prisons,” he said. “But the most important role of the Governor, I think, is to work alongside the Government of the day to help them to deliver their agenda.”
The Governor continued: “This Government has laid out a very clear agenda in the Medium Term Economic and Fiscal Framework which will shortly go to the House of Assembly, along with the budget, before the end of this year.
“I think if I were staying, I would see it, and I am sure my successor will see it as being our responsibility to work alongside the Government to make those exciting things happen within their plan. I think that is the principled thing. I think the road map for my successor is basically to get behind the Government of Anguilla to help it to deliver its ambitions – and it has the election mandate to do so. It is important for us to do what we can in these very difficult times. Money is hard to come by but in these difficult times we should get what we can from the UK Government to invest in Anguilla’s future; and that’s the right thing for the British Government to do.
“We shouldn’t be counting the pennies of today, tomorrow or next year. We really need to be thinking that we want Anguilla to be a vibrant, sustainable prosperous community and to invest now for Anguilla. That would be my parting words. You have to do the job the way you should. The key thing is the Government has a policy and a plan and we need to work with them to deliver it.”
Asked whether he thought that the position he took to put the people of Anguilla first, as Governor of the island, had at any time put him in difficulty, he replied:
“I don’t think anybody in the UK Administration would ever think otherwise. They know that Britain has a responsibility to its fourteen Overseas Territories. We have a responsibility, and the Government has a responsibility to the wellbeing and welfare of the territories. So advocating for the territories was, and is, the right thing to do. I am sure it is what anybody in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office would have expected Governors to do. That’s what you are there for. You are there not just to provide and report back about what happens in the territory. You are there to work alongside the lawfully-elected Administration.
“In places that have healthy economies, like Bermuda and the Cayman Islands, that do not necessarily need UK Government financial assistance, may be the Governors play different roles. But, for me, mobilising UK resources was critical to improving the quality of life in Anguilla.”
Governor Foy acknowledged that the people of Anguilla had expressed gratitude to him for his work on the island. He said that while he thanked them for their kindness and appreciation, his greatest satisfaction was that he had done what he was supposed to do for Anguilla.
Among the things he thought would be looked into between the UK Government and the Anguilla Government was the continuation of constitutional reform in 2021.
Governor Foy remarked that, if his successor, Ms. Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam, would receive about ten percent of the kindness and friendship that the people of Anguilla had shown him, and his wife, she would be a very lucky person.
The Government of Anguilla will be holding a meeting of the Anguilla House of Assembly to officially say farewell to him and Dr. Dina Foy. He commented that he was touched by such a gesture.
The Governor and Dr. Foy will be leaving Anguilla on Wednesday, December 30, to return to the United Kingdom. He expects to take up an assignment at the Home Office in London later.
