At their now weekly Wednesday press conference, Opposition Members in the Anguilla House of Assembly, Hubert Hughes and Edison Baird, joined in expressing grave concern over the high level of crime on the island and called for strict remedial measures to deal with the situation.

Hon Hubert Hughes and Hon. Edison Baird

Their concern follows a recent spate of eyebrow-raising robberies and burglaries, some violent, at restaurants, other businesses and homes.

Mr. Baird, who led out on the disquieting incidents, told reporters: “I want to talk this morning about a very serious and troubling matter that has bothered and perplexed all Anguillians: the rising tide of criminality that is spreading throughout Anguilla and threatening to inundate our policing and other institutions.”

The Opposition Member contended that “the level of criminality in Anguilla is intimately related to the development policy of Anguilla.” He charged that “the Government cranked up the economy to the extent that Anguilla could no longer supply the necessary labour input. As a result, the Government pursued an open-door immigration policy so that people from China, India and all sections of the Caribbean flooded Anguilla.”

Mr. Baird went on: “Because it is possible in many of these islands and countries to purchase any governmental document, it is my belief that many of the criminal acts that are now carried out in Anguilla, are not done by Anguillians alone. I believe that it is a combination of foreigners and Anguillians who are carrying out these violent and troubling acts against our population. And because it is possible to purchase any document from most of the Governments, I feel that some bad eggs slipped through the immigration door.” Mr. Baird said the sophistication of the crimes suggested in great measure that there were indeed some foreign “graduates” of crime involved in committing the acts of criminality.

He called for an emergency debate in the Anguilla House of Assembly on ways of tackling the crime situation. “We will not seek any political advantage,” he said. “Let us take a critical look at the Police, the size of the Force and its leadership and let us make tough decisions. We can’t pull any punches any more. Whatever has to be done, every Elected Member must recognise he has a responsibility. We have to catch the criminals.” He intends to introduce a Motion in the House of Assembly to that effect.

The other Opposition Member, Hubert Hughes, differed from Mr. Baird in that he said that there was a need for a no confidence vote to be tabled in the House against the Government to raise public awareness of the situation. He nevertheless agreed that Mr. Baird had made a good suggestion and added that “whatever it is, something needs to be done.”

Like Mr. Baird, he blamed the crime situation on the hurried development of the island saying that it needed to be slowed down so that Anguillians could have benefited more from the employment opportunities. He noted that last year the Government had issued some 4,000 work permits, a number he thought was far too many.

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