I was alarmed last Saturday when someone brought my attention to a release on the cover of “The Light” newspaper in which, for the first time, it would appear that a specific date is being considered by the Rev. John A. Gumbs’ Constitutional and Electoral Reform Committee for the coming into force of an Independence Constitution for Anguilla. The picture of the Chief Minister next to the article would suggest that it is authentic. In fact, I have not heard any disclaimers from the Chief Minister or his advisers to date regarding the content of the release. Furthermore, the release quotes the Chief Minister as saying that we do not have any other option but to go into Independence. The date being put forward the Independence Constitution to come into effect is November 1, 2014, that is, in less than two years.
At a public meeting in East End over three weeks ago I took the opportunity to engage my audience on the issue of Independence because I firmly believe that in an atmosphere of silence we could be “blind sided”. I believed at the time, and I do even more so now, that there is a deliberate scheme by the Chief Minister and his supporters to “bamboozle” the electorate into supporting a “rush to Independence” without conducting a genuine education process that would allow Anguillians to make an informed decision on our future constitutional status. I believe that it could be instructive to include some talking points from my speech so as to clarify the AUF’s position on the issue of Independence even going back to our term of office. In part, I said: –
“Our Party, the AUF, has spoken about Independence as an inevitable aspiration for Anguillians. Our focus on Independence — is Independence defined as self- reliance.
The AUF is speaking of an Independence characterized by pride not begging. And we did things to prepare us for such an eventuality!
— that is why we built some of the best roads in the region. Over $70 million! TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE !!!
— that is why we worked hard to develop and expand our Airport facilities. Over $60 million! TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
— that is why we improved the docking facilities at Blowing Point and Road Bay — and had plans, far advanced, for a new Ferry Terminal at Blowing Point and a new Deep Water Port at Corito. Over $20 million was spent by 2010! TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
— that is why we spent over $60 million in Tertiary Education and facilitated the Anguilla Community College. TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
— that is why we expanded the school facilities in West End, The Valley, with plans for Island Harbour and so on! TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
— that is why we improved our Revenue Collection System. TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
— that is why we were putting in place modern Governance Systems to create more efficiencies in the delivery of public services. TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
— that is why we had adopted a strategy to encourage foreign and local investment and successfully attracted over US$1 Billion over the last seven years of our term of office. TO BUILD SELF-RELIANCE!!!
We knew that the vision of our forebears could not be realized without putting in place — or constructing a platform for self-reliance.
— and building a nation capable of providing everything required/ the wherewithal for a decent standard of living and quality life for our people.
But we knew that regardless of our particular aspirations for Anguilla as Leaders — we had to ascertain the views and opinions of the people. THAT IS THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. A REFERENDUM!!!
You may have missed it — but during the recent presidential election campaign the people of Puerto Rico put the issue of self-determination to the test and they voted to become the 51st State of the United States — Yes! Puerto Rico that has the wherewithal to be self-reliant decided not to go it alone!
We are not in the least opposed to Independence at some point in the future — but we also believe that it requires a serious decision based on informed and sensible discussion in which everyone should be involved — and the country prepared to be self-reliant.
—- NOT requiring water and electricity from St. Martin — but having our utilities and transportation facilities — and not depending on handouts from the Dutch or the French.
Independence should NOT be to settle a feud between the Governor and Hubert Hughes — It should be about Anguillians!
Chief Minister Hughes will find someone to blame for his incompetence after the British leaves — just as readily as he is blaming everyone but himself today! It is his style!
Borrowing should NOT be the reason either — we will have to abide by rules then as much as we do now. When you borrow you must be able to repay! That’s self reliance!!!
Begging should not be a reason either — we need a much more robust and sustainable system than that.
Where is Hubert’s plan for Independence — is it in the same place where the plan was that he had to turn Anguilla around in six weeks? He has not been able to present his plan after almost three years in Office.
Bermuda was contemplating Independence more than 20 years ago — but before they started writing a constitution they commissioned several studies by technical persons, stakeholders and other organizations to analyze the pros and cons in a public document.
Up to today Bermuda — with one of the highest per capita incomes in the world is still in constitutionally a colony of Great Britain — what is our rush in the midst of a financial fiasco?
What is this unsubstantiated claim about a vein of oil running from Venezuela to Anguilla — which the British want to exploit? Would not several other territories in the region have claims to that as well since we share an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with many other islands between Anguilla and Venezuela? — We probably need to keep our eyes on Chavez more so than the British.
DO YOU MEAN that a whole island must make a decision to go into Independence because the Chief Minister and the Governor have a disagreement?”
I made these points quite unaware of the extent of the situation that was developing. I could not then conceive that not only was the “Rev. Gumbs Committee” drafting anIndependence Constitution without seeking the advice of the people — but they were also suggesting a date. Let me quote a section of their Executive Summary to this proposed Anguilla Constitution Order:-
“We also believe that two (2) years are sufficient time to educate our people as to their choices, either in retaining in essence the status quo namely “rabid” colonialism or the wisdom of seeking independence”.
Obviously, the“Rev. Gumbs Committee” has done two things based on this statement: 1) determined that the status quo is “rabid colonialism”, and 2) determined that two years are quite enough time for us to make up our mind about the “wisdom of seeking independence”. I was concerned with the use of the word “rabid” because I consider it to be a derivative of the word “rabies” which is a disease prevalent in “dogs and rats”. Its usage further brought home to me that there is an emotional aspect to this undertaking, which goes beyond professionalism. And this point is reinforced later in the same document by the Committee’s interpretation of the British position on Independence.
The report reads: – “In the past we were a dependency, now we are an asset. Whereas in the past Independence would have been gladly given, now they say, we would not encourage it, but if you would persist we would not deny you.”
Based on all the facts before us, for them to present this as a fair interpretation of the British position on Independence for the Overseas Territories, could be considered “intellectual dishonesty” — and to suggest that we are more of an asset to Britain today than in the past when we were exploited as a region for our agricultural products seems to fly in the face of history. Or is this the vein of oil from Venezuela claim presented in “code” again?
I believe that the Chief Minister and his advisers have got this whole thing wrong. Mr. Conrad Rogersdescribes the situation elegantly in his article “Putting the Cart before the Horse”. The Bermudan Government has been discussing this issue since 1977 and they have done a number of reports by highly qualified personalities who explored every aspect of the issue. The last such report was in 2005 to which I will bring your attention in future articles. A very defining comment made by the Bermuda Industrial Union is quoted in the report as follows: – “Idealism apart, the achievement of independence must have the practical goal of maintaining and/or improving the standard of living for all Bermudans”. It is this kind of thinking that has informed the Bermudan approach to the issue of Independence — not an empty constitutional document without having the economic and social consequences analyzed. How can we fix a date for independence on the basis of political considerations alone — and encourage people to give serious thought to the issue at a time when there are so many other important issues of survival occupying their thoughts?
But perhaps the most telling question to be asked is: – “Why fix a date for Independence three months before the end of the Government’s term of Office?” Someone also asked me: – “Will this, should it be successful, have the effect of extending the Government’s term of Office?” And yet another person asked: “Will we have elections after Independence?”
All these questions point to the same concerns. “Why are they, the Government and its supporters, in such a rush?” “Are we keeping the Prime Minister and the Governor General waiting?” Or perhaps as someone put it, metaphorically: – “Where is the fire?”
