After all, last week was not the final sitting of the Anguilla House of Assembly as was thought. The budget debate, the main agenda matter, dragged on for about seven days and finally ended on Tuesday afternoon this week. The House approved some one hundred and thirty-five million East Caribbean dollars in total, covering recurrent expenditure and revenue as well as capital expenditure for 2005. The other matters included three pieces of legislation, among which was an amendment to the Election Act.

This was really the last sitting of the House of Assembly which is to be dissolved within a week. The members present took turns to exchange words of farewell and were even apologetic for the sharp differences they have had over the years in the House, the Executive Council and in the political arena generally. It was an opportunity of reconciliation and backslapping missed by Opposition Member Hubert Hughes who left the House during a stormy session of the budget debate.

Hon. Eric Reid

The Minister of Social Development, Eric Reid, who will not be returning to the polls as a candidate for election and the Speaker, Leroy Rogers, who will be contesting the Valley North constituency, took centre stage during the farewells.

Chief Minister, Osbourne Fleming, thanked Mr. Reid on behalf of the Government and people of Anguilla for his significant contribution to the development of the island over the years. He said the long-serving Minister was leaving public office “with his bat in his hand”. He praised him for his dedication to duty, his resilience in dealing with his vision difficulty and his resolve to continue his service to the island.

Hon. Leroy Rogers

Mr. Fleming also commended Mr. Rogers for his role as Speaker and for a job well done despite the disagreements which occasionally surfaced. He added that he enjoyed his five-year term of office and thanked his ministerial colleagues and the opposition members for their service.

Opposition Member, Edison Baird, noted that unlike the legislatures in other islands, there was much cordiality and friendship in the Anguilla House of Assembly. He was of the view that Mr. Reid should be honoured for his more than 20 years of service and that he had done much for the island. He also expressed appreciation for Mr. Rogers’ work as Speaker.

Minister of Finance, Victor Banks, said he and Mr. Reid had gone through the full spectrum of relationships from being diametrically opposed politically to a close working relationship in Government. He praised Reid for his dedication despite his recent challenges; his high spirits and hopes; his wisdom and experience; and his goodwill to the development of Anguilla.

He was grateful to Mr. Rogers for his support as a former party member and his contribution as Speaker and offered him his best wishes.

Attorney General, Ronald Scipio, described Reid as “a man who listens a lot, speaks very little but when he speaks commands attention.” He added that it was a pleasure working with the Minister in Executive Council. Mr. Scipio observed that Mr. Rogers had handled difficult situations in the House of Assembly in an admirable way and had interpreted and applied the rules with fairness.

He added that being an ex-officio member of the Executive Council and the House of Assembly had brought him into a contact with all the members, most of whom he had an enjoyable working relationship with, despite the differences which arose at times.

Minister of Infrastructure, Kenneth Harrigan, Parliamentary Secretary, Samuel Connor and Opposition Member, Albert Hughes, were personally delighted with the learning experience they had gained in public office and the support they had received from their colleagues. They joined in complimenting both Reid and Rogers for their work and offered their best wishes to them.

Replying, Mr. Reid said: “Mr. Speaker, I rise to say thanks to the members of the House for all of their commendations and kind words as I leave this House. I said from the onset that I would not be seeking re-election after this term so I am not leaving because of my difficulty. I was always going to be out of the House at the end of the term.”

He said it was a good experience for him to have worked with the majority of the members of the House naming in particular Mr. Banks with whom he has had some differences over the years. “I want to say how good Mr. Banks and I get along,” he now acknowledged adding: “I wish to say something to the people of Anguilla and that is we must not believe everything we hear. We must always get our facts straight and if we do that, we would not run into difficult times. Mr. Banks, I want to say to you thanks for how kind you have been to me especially in the last couple of months.”

Mr. Reid went on: “I want to say to the rest of the House and the members of the Executive Council, in particular, who looked after me so well, that I have never had the feeling that anybody was saying ‘oh he is blind, he can’t see and why doesn’t he stay at home’. I was always welcomed. I was looked after and taken good care of…

“As for the people in the Ministry, there is no difference. They treat me with all kindness - all of them – Orris, the Permanent Secretary, Foster, Maria, Shaldine who drives me around and whose arm I hold on to in difficult places; Verlyn and my daughter-in-law Dawn, Dr. Richardson, Denecia and all of them. They take very good care of me and I will always remember that.” He also mentioned his Special Assistants Rhona Richardson and Blondell Rodgiers whom he said had served his Ministry very well.

Mr. Reid said he first entered public office in 1984 as a Minister in the Government of Sir Emile Gumbs. Always a plain speaker, he stated that as a freshman he thought he could learn a lot from the Member of Road South [Mr. Hubert Hughes] who was in the House at the same time and a member of the same party, but he “was really disappointed” that it was not possible. He added: “I would always be grateful to the late Teacher Albena Lake-Hodge for the way she taught me.”

Mr. Reid offered his best wishes to everyone.

Mr. Rogers thanked the members of the House for their commendable remarks. He was grateful to the Government for electing him Speaker of the House and said that he would resign on Wednesday January 19 in preparation to contest the Valley North seat as he wished to serve his island in a different capacity.

He noted that he and Mr. Reid had contested the seat on three occasions, but despite that they still got on very well. “I respect him for the person he is. He never showed me a bad face and I don’t think I have shown him a bad face either. I want to thank him for the service he has given the people of the island for the past 21 years and for representing the constituency of Valley North. I wish him success in all his future endeavours. I know he has a little problem… but he can still contribute to Anguilla.”

Mr. Rogers noted that he had refrained from going on the political platform to begin his electioneering campaign because he felt that he should uphold the integrity of the office as Speaker.

“Seeing that this is the last meeting of the House, I think I am now free to make my case,” he added.

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