Outgoing Governor, His Excellency Andrew George, has showered a great deal of praise on Anguilla and its people saying his tour of service has been an enjoyable experience, that Anguillians are a tough and inventive people and that despite the difficult times the island’s economy will bounce back.
Governor George expressed those and other complimentary sentiments at a farewell reception, at Government House on Monday evening this week, attended by leading officials and other persons in the public and private sectors of the island.

“I never imagined when, 34 years ago, I started out in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, I would be finishing my career as Governor of an Overseas Territory but it has certainly been a very memorable, interesting and enjoyable experience,” he told his appreciative guests as he stood on the steps of Government House with his wife, Mrs. Watanalak George, their daughter and son-in-law. “Anguilla has very special people indeed and as a country Anguilla has not historically had an easy life; it has not been blessed with great natural resources but I think this has bred people who are inventive, imaginative, very proud of their homeland and very confident in the way that they deal with the outside world.”

He said Anguillians had most famously displayed a spirit 42 years ago, when they broke away from St. Kitts-Nevis to forge their own destiny – a spirit which was still very much alive. He stated that the face of Anguilla had changed enormously over the past 30 years in a way that no one could have guessed beforehand, having re-invented itself as an up-market tourist destination. He recalled that when he and Mrs. George came to the island, and during much of their stay, there was some worry that the tourist industry would overheat and that development was going on, too fast, in a manner which could damage the quality of life.

“Nowadays the picture looks a little bit different with the global economic crisis upsetting the whole world, and Anguilla is feeling the effects as well,” Governor George went on. “Everyone I think is a bit nervous and worried about how this will work out, but I think Anguillians are tough people, and inventive people, and I am sure Anguilla will see it through.

“The economy will bounce back, tourism will continue to flourish and the future will look good. One key element of that, I think, is that Anguilla does remain a very safe and peaceful place to live and to visit. You might not believe that, sometimes, with the way people respond when there is crime because, as any criminal event whether it is against the person or against property, it is a very sad thing. It causes distress to the victims but we have to retain a sense of proportion that Anguilla does remain a very safe place.”

He stressed that the Royal Anguilla Police Force was doing an excellent job and working just as well as any police force he had seen in the countries on the four continents where he served. He said the officers in Anguilla deserved the support and cooperation of the public, not the constant sniping and criticism sometimes made at them at times.

The main body of the invited guests at Government House

“Being Governor here has been an interesting and enjoyable experience,” he continued. “It is not easy to come in and do this job which is quite different from normal diplomatic work, and so much depends on a depth of local knowledge that no outsider can really hope to have. I owe a considerable debt of gratitude to my Deputy Governor Stanley Reid. He has been a great support, and his advice has been of much help to me…I really could not have done the job without you, Stanley. The people of Anguilla ought to be very proud of the job the first Anguillian to hold that job is doing.”

He was grateful to all the Anguillian staff as well as the UK team which worked with him and all members of the Anguilla Public Service. He said Anguilla was very fortunate to have people of a very high caliber serving as public servants, many of whom were at the farewell function.

The outgoing Governor spoke about the very good relationship he has had with Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming and his colleagues. He said he and them had worked in partnership under the Constitution. “I have always sought to respect the democratic mandate that the Ministers have and the wealth of experience that Mr. Fleming and his colleagues bring to their job,” he stated. “In return the Ministers have always respected what the law lays down as our respective competences: what the Governor does and what Ministers do. It may change in the future when constitutional talks get underway, but at the moment we work with the system that we have and I think that we make it work pretty well.

“It has been a great experience here and the only thing after Anguilla was to retire because nothing else could really follow Anguilla in my career. I wish you and all the people of Anguilla and the island itself all the very best for the future.”

Another section of invited guests

He thanked his wife for her active work among community organisations and for arranging all the public functions at Government House. Speaking in the Thai language through him as her interpreter, Mrs. George said Anguilla was a very beautiful island and everyone had been very friendly to them. “I have been here to support my husband mostly in women’s business and arranging parties and food. I wish everyone good luck and we will miss you,” she added.

A special sitting of the Anguilla House of Assembly is being arranged for Wednesday, March 11, at which Members will formally say goodbye to Governor and Mrs. George who will leave the island the following day.
Mr. George came to Anguilla on July 7, 2006 and was sworn in as Governor of Anguilla three days later. He will be succeeded by Mr. Allister Harrison who is expected to arrive on the island in April.

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