The galleries of the Atlin Noraldo Harrigan OBE Parliamentary Building were filled to capacity on Tuesday morning, April 21, when Anguilla’s newly-appointed British Governor, His Excellency William Alistair Harrison CVO, was sworn in by High Court Judge, Madam Justice ... who is on a short stint from the British Virgin Islands.

L-R: Speaker David Carty, Governor Harrison being sworn in by Acting Justice Tana’nia Small-Daves

Mr. Harrison arrived in Anguilla with his family on Sunday evening, April 19, and was welcomed at Wallblake Airport by a party led by Acting Governor, Mr. Stanley Reid, and Chief Minister, Osbourne Fleming. There, as well as in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, he pledged to work in partnership with the Government and Elected Representatives in the administration of the island.

Members of the Government side of the House of Assembly

Speaker of the House, the Honourable David Carty, said he was privileged to be the first person there to congratulate him on the assumption of his office as Governor of Anguilla. “I wish you all the very best in this partnership that you are entering into with us, the people of Anguilla and our Elected Representatives,” Mr. Carty told Mr. Harrison. “We live in challenging times and the creativity of that partnership will be challenged in ways that we will yet have to see. But I am certain that the level of intellect, understanding and pragmatism which I know our Government and Elected Members are able to do, and with what I am sure you will show us, that Anguilla will continue to strive and to be the better place: a place that is a true paradise and one we all can be very, very proud of.”

L-R: Elected Members Hubert Hughes and Edison Baird

Chief Minister Fleming formally extended a warm welcome to Mr. Harrison, his wife and children, and said that he had set a record by being the first Governor to be accompanied to Anguilla by his children. He was pleased that on his arrival the Governor had spoken about the global economic problem affecting Anguilla and about working together with the Government to tackle the local situation. “Mr. Fleming referred to the cordial relationship his Government had enjoyed with various Governors over the years. “My colleagues and I expect that we will continue in the quest to make Anguilla a better place and with your support we can achieve that,” the Chief Minister said. “On behalf of people of Anguilla at large, I welcome you and your family and we hope that you will have an enjoyable stay with us; and we look forward to your cooperation and support to make Anguilla a better place.”

Officials and members of the public and Governor’s family at Swearing-in Ceremony

Opposition Member and former Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, said it was a distinct privilege for him to welcome Governor Harrison to Anguilla. “I could safely assume, Sir, that before being dispatched here, you have been properly briefed and I expect you to bring a different focus from your predecessor to the job,” he stated. “As an Anguillian who has been preoccupied with trying to advance the wellbeing of this most lovely island, I cannot fail to report to you that at this juncture Anguilla is in a very sad state of affairs.”

Officials and members of the public and Governor’s family at Swearing-in Ceremony

Mr. Hughes went on too express his dissatisfaction with the importation of foreign workers from Southeast Asia, the alienation of real estate property, rising unemployment among the indigenous population and other difficulties. He offered the Government his support if he were to choose “to attempt a cure for the gloom and doom now clouding the island’s sustainable economic development.” Mr. Hughes spoke to some extent on the varied responsibilities of the Governor asked for the protection of Anguillian taxpayers from “irresponsible spending by their own Government” and to ensure good governance in all areas of the island’s administration. He also called for the safeguarding of the fundamental rights of all the citizens, and said that one of the pressing matters for the Governor’s attention was the current continuous registration of voters system in order to ensure that all qualified persons were allowed to vote leading to free and fair elections.

“I close by wishing you and your family a typical Anguillian warm and cordial welcome and, despite the task ahead, I hope that you and your family will have a very happy stay in Anguilla,” Mr. Hughes added.

The following is the full text of Governor’s inaugural address:

“Let me begin by thanking you Mr Speaker, the Chief Minister and the Representative of the Opposition, for their warm words of welcome.

Officials and members of the public and Governor’s family at Swearing-in Ceremony

“It is with a great sense of responsibility that I have just taken the oaths of allegiance to HM The Queen and been sworn in as the Governor of Anguilla. I also have a deep sense of the history of this island and of its successive governors. This year marks many important anniversaries for Anguilla. Not least it is exactly 400 years ago this year that the first British citizen, Captain Harcourt, landed on this island in 1609. So the links between Britain and Anguilla go back a very long way. I am conscious that I am part of a long tradition and that I therefore have a lot to live up to.

Professor Lennox Vanterpool and ALHCS Band

“I am also conscious that I am arriving in Anguilla at a challenging time. Firstly, Anguilla, like the United Kingdom and most other countries in the world, is being affected by the global economic crisis. The crisis was certainly not of Anguilla’s making, but the consequences are being felt here with a decline in the tourist industry this year. I am confident that the economy of Anguilla is in good long-term shape, since the world is spending more and more on bigger and better holidays (and there is nowhere better than Anguilla). The opening of the first hotel on the island fifty years ago this year - another important anniversary - was clearly a very far-sighted decision. But there is likely to be a short-term challenge for Anguilla, until the world economy gets out of the present recession. I am confident that, with prudence, Anguilla can weather the storm, and get through to more comfortable times using the reserves that have been built up over the good times.

Governor Harrison and family

“Secondly, the recent events in another Caribbean Overseas Territory remind us - if we needed a reminder - of the importance of good governance and financial probity in the Overseas Territories, as in all countries. There is sadly no law of nature that decrees that what happened there could never happen here. But, provided that none of us is complacent, I am confident that Anguilla can continue as an example of the high standards of governance that are rightly expected in the Overseas Territories. In this context HMG welcomes Anguilla’s assurance that it will meet OECD standards on tax information. The recent G20 Summit gives added urgency to the need for Anguilla to complete twelve Tax Information Exchange Agreements before September this year and be ready to respond to any other OECD requests for information on standards in the financial services industry.

Governor inspecting Guard of Honour

“Thirdly, ten years after the White Paper of 1999, the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories are likely to look again at their relationship a decade on. The partnership envisaged in the White Paper has brought real benefits, but another review is probably due. Anguilla is looking to have a new Constitution as part of it. Anguilla has always been energetic in its pursuit of genuine self-determination - 2009 is of course the fortieth anniversary of the events of 1969. That was the first time that I, along with many members of my generation, heard about events in Anguilla and admired what Anguilla was doing. But long before that Anguilla was well ahead of many of its island neighbours in developing democracy. In the nineteenth century it extended the franchise beyond the narrow circle of white males before many other Caribbean Islands.

“Of course, I will be paying particular attention to those areas where I have a special responsibility: the defence of the island, particularly against hurricanes; foreign relations; internal security; financial regulatory oversight and good governance.

“I have been given a lot of advice as to how best to fulfil my responsibilities as governor. I have spoken to a number of former and serving governors, including some of my predecessors. I also read in The Anguillian that at my immediate predecessor’s departure ceremony the Chief Minister ascribed much of his success to his realising early on that he was not the boss. I am sure this is right. I do not regard myself as the boss. Any more than the Chief Minister regards himself as the boss. Both of us are servants of the people of Anguilla, as are all officials, elected and appointed. We will serve the people of Anguilla best by working together in partnership, as the Chief Minister remarked when welcoming me at the airport two days ago; and I certainly promise to work in very close partnership with the Chief Minister and his colleagues, and with the Government Service more widely.

“My wife, my family and I are absolutely delighted that I have been appointed to Anguilla, and we are looking forward to getting to know this island and its people. I want to meet as quickly as possible as many Anguillians as I can - or at least as many Anguillians as want to meet me.

“I started by talking about history. The first Governor of Anguilla William Watts went down in the history books with the judgement that “he exercised no effective control of events in Anguilla”. I obviously do not want that kind of legacy. So I pledge sincerely to devote myself throughout my posting here to the service of Anguilla and of its people.”

Following the Governor’s address, the Speaker brought the proceedings in the House of Assembly to a close. Governor Harrison then greeted many of the invited guests in the galleries after which he took the salute and inspected a Guard of Honour drawn up outside by the Royal Anguilla Police Force. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Fleming and Commissioner of Police, Keithly Benjamin.

Governor Harrison began a series of courtesy calls on Wednesday with his first being at the Chief Minister’s Office.

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