Struggle

POLITICAL

Anguilla has 3 political parties and a number of independent candidates. The parties are the Anguilla United Movement, A.U.M., led by Leader of the opposition Hon. Hubert Hughes, Anguilla Democtatic Party, A.D.P., led by Minister of Finance Hon. Victor Banks and Anguilla National Alliance, A.N.A., led by Chief Minister Hon. Osbourne Fleming. Osbourne Fleming, Victor Banks, Eric Reid and Kenneth Harrigan join together to form the United Front following the May 1999 resignation of Victor Banks from the Government of Hubert Hughes.He resigned because of the public allegations of corruption made against him by Hubert Hughes whilst in the same Government.Over the past three general elections, the same men won their seats. Kenneth Harrigan, Osbourne Fleming, Eric Reid, Victor Banks, Eddison Baird, Hubert Hughes and Albert Hughes. Eddison Baird won his seat for the first time in 1994 after the retirement of Sir Emile Gumbs. Sir Emile Gumbs won his seat every time he contested it since the first general election of 1976.Traditionally on Anguilla the seats are a virtual lockdown. No-one defeats an incumbent. These seats are guaranteed by the electorate on election day. The people of Anguillawill not elect new candidates but prefers to wait until a candidate retires to elect someone else. The British Government presented their White paper last year (1999), entitled Partnership for Progress and Prosperity. This has become a major issue in recent times as many Anguillians are now seeing that it is not a partnership. There is nothing beneficial to the Anguillian and even the offer of citizenship without reciprocity is viewed as a trick by the British  Government. We believe that there will be reciprocity and Anguilla will be the only loser. There is no mention of assistance to ensure that the vital needs of the society are taken care of. E.g. Health-care, education and our infrastructure, especially our ports.

ECONOMIC

The economy of Anguilla is based on tourism and on a small scale, fishing. We had a nascent offshore finance sector that the new Government promised EC$15 million in Government revenue this year alone, but they recently passed laws in the House of Assembly that ensured the virtual closure of this potential lucrative industry. We will now have to rely on a fragile tourism sector that is hampered by the frequency of hurricanes. In 1998 – 1999 we had the EU transshipment business that put EC$14 million into the treasury. For reasons the people of Anguilla do not know about it was stopped allegedly by the British Government.There is no minimum wage on Anguilla. The avg. household income is EC$39868.20 with two working people. This is compared to EC$153,489.60 for Tortola, EC$162,648.00 for Cayman Islands and EC$192,240.00 for Bermuda. Avg. expenses for a household of two working parents and two school-aged children is EC$50490.00.There are no plans by the Government to diversify the economy other that a few web-based industries.

TOURISM

The economy of Anguilla is based on tourism. All revenue is generated by it. If there is a major hurricane, the island suffers throughout. It caters for the high end of the market and has an annual occupancy rate of 40%. There is no cruise ship tourism and the hotels are closed from the end of September to the beginning of November with a peak season of four months, December to the beginning of April.

AIRPORT, ROADS AND PIERS

There is one airport. It caters to small planes. Tourist coming from the U.S. takes a direct flight to San Juan Puerto Rico and then takes a smaller American Eagle to Wallblake airport on Anguilla. They can also take a direct flight to Princess Julianna International airport on St. Maarten and then ferry over to Anguilla. There are six piers on Anguilla. One each in the fishing villages of Island harbour and Long Bay (Cove) that caters to the fishermen. The piers in Island Harbour and Long Bay are small but relatively new and in excellent condition. Then there are two piers in Blowing Point that caters to the ferries that shuttle locals and tourist alike to and from St. Martin/St. Maarten and the cargo boats that brings consumable goods and cars from St. Martin/St. Maarten. The peirs are old and dilapidated. They are beyond repair and presents a hazard to the boats and lives of the people using the ferries and cargo boats. There are two piers at Sandy Ground. The new and small Pier that caters for local and visiting small boats and the police launch and the larger older pier that caters to the freight carriers and cargo boats. The waters around  this pier are shallow and extreme caution is required for the larger freight carriers. 95% of the food and all building materials etc. comes in through this port. This port is in need of expansion and repair but it is in an area that is not ideal for large scale imports. The land surrounding the port is beach and the warehouse area is inadequate.

EDUCATION

After kindergarten, children on Anguilla start primary school at the age of four to five. On completion of primary school they are made to do an examination that will determine what their classes they will attend on the next level, which is the Comprehensive high school. The academics are placed together and the academically challenge are placed together in different classes but in the same school. They attend high school for a period of five to six years after which they have to graduate. Students wishing to go back for an additional year are not allowed to because of ‘lack of space and teachers’. After graduation, if they are financed, a few go off to universities in the U.S., Barbados and Jamaica UWI. Most however enter the workplace as Hotel workers, construction workers or civil servants. 150 students received scholarships or financial assistance from Government in 1997 and 1998 when Anguilla had the EU transshipment business but today there are few scholarships given by Government due to insufficient funds.

HEALTH SERVICE

Health services on Anguilla are perhaps the worst in the Caribbean. The hospital and clinics are under staffed, there is insufficient equipment and medicines. The people of Anguilla will go to the Hospital only in desperate situations or for routine checkups. This area is a challenge and will need an enormous amount of financial assistance and human resources to bring it up to acceptable standards.There seems to be a lack of motivation among the few remaining Nurses at the hospital. This may be due to too much political interference, low wages, lack of ongoing training and a lack of equipment.A complete overhaul of the health services is need on Anguilla. There need to be an A.I.D.S. awareness program, a mental health program, national blood drives, equipment updating, staff training at the hospitals and clinics. The old Cottage hospital can be utilized in some way also probably to house mentally challenged people etc.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM

Anguilla’s constitution is the weakest in the British West Indies Overseas Territories, with most of the political powers in the hands of the British Governor. The elected representatives are very limited. The new Government appointed Mr. David Carty, former Parliamentary Secretary to Sir Emile Gumbs to head Constitutional and electoral reform. He then appointed Stanley Reid, the son of Eric Reid as his assistant. The areas that they want to change are as follows; an increase in the majority of Ministerial positions, changing the requirements for a vote of no confidence to succeed while removing the mandatory requirement for a general election to be called after a successful no confidence motion; abolition of the nominated members and have seats contested on an island wide basis and regularizng the issue of belongers coming from abroad to vote. This is the second time the Constitution is being reformed and on each occasion, more powers were taken from the elected officials and given to the Governor. It is believed, David Carty will put a provision into the constitution that will ensure that he becomes the elected Chief Minister. It must be noted, Mr. Carty failed to get elected in 1984, 1994 and 1999.We know that the British Government will never revert powers to the elected reps. In 1997 Malcolm Rifkin sent a letter asking for the Government to give HMG Governor extended reserve powers, including the right to override the decisions made by legislature and the Chief Minister. That in itself suggest that Constitutional reform will benefit the people of Anguilla nothing. Instead, we believe we should be working towards complete independence.

SOCIAL & CULTURAL

The society has change quite rapidly in recent years. The main reasons are an influx of people from the other Caribbean Islands, the U.S. and U.K. and an increase in alcohol and drug use. Another reason can also be attributed to both parents working, sometimes two jobs whilst leaving the children unattended. There are no community centers on Anguilla and nowhere that young people can go to ‘release’ their energies after school. There are five half finished basketball courts that you can see numerous teens playing on in the afternoons after school; one soccer field, two cricket fields and one community tennis court that is in urgent need of repairs. We have our annual boat races and carnival starting the first Monday in  August and finishing the following weekend. Here is where we display our traditions to the locals and visitors alike.

ENVIRONMENT

There is a glass recycling program that started early 1998 but there is no aluminum, paper or plastic recycling program. All the privately owned houses have separate septic tanks built underground out of concrete however the larger hotels have recycling programs for this waste. Trash is collected on an inconsistent basis and there is too much litter on the island. There are large trash bins trough out the villages that spill onto the ground and the many stray cats and dogs disperse this trash making  an unsightly mess everywhere. There are also too many old irreparable vehicles in the back yards and next to the roads. There is a need for proper beach and ocean policing for environmental ‘terrorist’ who has no regard for the environment. There is also a need for laws to protect the salt ponds from being reclaimed to protect the wild birds and fish that use them.