On Monday, September 11th 2023, at 2:00 p.m., a swearing-in ceremony took place at the House of Assembly to engage the service of Her Excellency Julia Crouch as Governor of Anguilla, under the hand of King Charles III of England.
The event commenced with an invocation offered by Canon Reid Simon, who prayed in part: “We gather to commend, Holy God, Julia as the Governor of this land. We pray that as she serves among us that the words of the Psalmist: ‘righteousness and justice are the foundation of God’s throne’ will fill her heart and her ministrations among us. We pray that peace, tolerance, respect and a sense of engagement may flow from her and flow through all of us.”
Representatives of the National Choir then rendered the National Anthem and the National Song in rich harmony.
The Honourable Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Merrick Richardson, delivered welcome remarks, followed by the Reading of the Commission of Appointment and Administration of Oaths officiated by the Honourable Justice Ermin Moise.
Then, with the Bible in hand, Her Excellency swore: Oath 1: I, Julia Catherine Crouch, do swear that I will well and truly serve His Majesty King Charles III, His heirs and successors, in the office of Governor of Anguilla, so help me God.
Oath 2: “I, Julia Catherine Crouch, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty, King Charles III, His heirs and successors, according to Law, so help me God.”
The Administration of Oaths was followed by remarks from the Honourable Leader of the Opposition, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge.
Mrs. Richardson-Hodge extended a cordial welcome to Her Excellency but drew her attention to the quest for Anguilla’s internal self government and emphasized the need for justice to prevail.
“As Leader of His Majesty’s Royal Opposition in the Anguilla House of Assembly,” she said, “and as Representative of the Sandy Hill Constituency, I, on behalf of the people of Anguilla, extend a very warm welcome to you, our newly installed Governor, Your Excellency, Julia Crouch.”
“I first recognize and express my deep appreciation for the strengthening of our relationship with the United Kingdom Government,” the Opposition Leader said. “which certainly came to the fore in the wake of Hurricane Irma in 2017 while I sat as the Minister of Home Affairs and Education. As you drive around the island, you will no doubt see the results of that collaboration in areas such as tourism, health and education.”
“You will find that the issue of self determination is an ongoing discussion, as it is undoubtedly the case in other British Overseas Territories. These discussions will continue as there is a push for greater internal self government and continued constitutional reform in order to ensure that laws passed in our House of Assembly reflect the views, desires and wishes of the people through their elected representatives,” Mrs. Richardson-Hodge said.
“You have assumed your position as Governor at a time of uncertainty in our country. Issues such as justice, equality and fairness to all are at the forefront of the conversation of the average Anguillian today. And, Your Excellency, with your legal qualifications, you are undoubtedly knowledgeable as to why Lady Justice is blindfolded. Lady Justice is blindfolded because she represents impartiality – the ideal that justice should be applied without regard for wealth, power or any other status,” Mrs. Richardson-Hodge said.
The Honorable Acting Premier, Mr. Kenneth Hodge, then delivered a warm and cordial welcome:
“On behalf of the Premier and the Government and people of Anguilla, and on my own behalf as Acting Premier, I welcome you, Your Excellency Governor Julia Crouch, to our beloved island. For the next couple of years,” he said, “Anguilla will be your home. I hope you take some time to explore Anguilla from Island Harbour to the tip of West End, and from the distant Forest to Shoal Bay. Meet and mingle with our friendly people and sample our world renowned cuisine, whether it may be at our five-star restaurants or at a roadside barbeque or a soup stall. And do take a dip at of our fabulous white sand beaches.”
“But Anguilla is not without its challenges,” the Acting Premier warned. “As you may be aware, we have many issues facing our island at this time, and paramount among them is heightened gun crime, rising inflation, global warming concerns, porous borders, and the constraints of national debt. Notwithstanding, we have made significant strides in reducing such debt.”
“However, despite the challenges of the day,” he said, “there remains an unwavering commitment by this progressive APM administration to elevate Anguilla and ensure that we continue growing sustainably together.”
“It would be remiss of me,” Mr. Hodge noted, “if I do not acknowledge God’s help in sustaining us. I also acknowledge the collective endeavours of our sovereign power, Great Britain, and my colleagues in government, as well as the citizens of this country who play critical roles in steadying our course. Our destiny continues to be shaped by the selfless resilience and democratic determination that pivots our potential and pilots our progress.”
After thanking Justice Moise, the Honourable Deputy Speaker of the House, Mr. Merrick Richardson, the Honorable Leader of the Opposition, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge, and the Honourable Acting Premier, Mr. Kenneth Hodge, Her Excellency responded:
“I wish to publicly pay tribute to my predecessor, Dileeni Daniel-Selvaratnam. I know that she was widely respected… I would also like to thank Acting Governor Candler and the Honourable Deputy Governor, Perrin Bradley, for holding the reins following former Governor Daniel-Selvaratnam’s departure,” Her Excellency said. “I am delighted to be here. It is a huge honour to be appointed Governor of this historical territory. What makes Anguilla extraordinary is not just its landscape, but more importantly its people.”
She noted that in preparing to come to Anguilla, she had spoken in the UK to several people from the Anguilla Diaspora, and they had all spoken of the warmth and friendliness of the Anguillian people.
“It is quite clear that through Anguilla’s difficult history, the people of this island have demonstrated determination, faith and resilience,” she said. “This has caused Anguillians to overcome acute adversity and to create the democratic, vibrant successful society that we see today. But there are issues to be addressed, and there is always work to be done.”
“As Governor, I want to work with the Government and all the elected representatives,” she promised, “and I want to do everything in my power to protect and to support the institutions of democracy…”
The ceremony adjourned following Her Excellency’s address. Immediately following the recessional, she was honoured with a royal salute by a battalion of police officers drawn up in front of the Parliamentary Building. Her Excellency inspected the Guard of Honour, accompanied by the Honourable Acting Premier, Mr. Kenneth Hodge and the Commissioner of Police, Robert Clark, before being driven off to Government House.
