Opposition Member in the Anguilla House of Assembly, Hubert Hughes, is critical of the Anguilla Government’s decision to request the British Government to relax its borrowing guidelines to accommodate the financial needs of the island.

Mr. Hubert Hughes

The matter was the main purpose of the recent visit of the Anguilla delegation to London to meet with the Minister for the Overseas Territories, Chris Bryant, and other officials. The Government of Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming wants to be allowed to borrow money from financial institutions to fund its public sector investment programme, to create jobs and business development opportunities.

The delegation returned to Anguilla saying that there was no agreement on the matter but that the British officials had promised to indicate their decision about this and other matters in a forthcoming letter.

Mr. Hughes commented at length on the Chief Minister’s statement that failing agreement from London, to accede to the Anguilla Government’s request, that he and his Ministers would explore other measures available to them, such as seeking the approval of the House of Assembly to borrow the needed money. “I will take no part in that borrowing” he asserted. “Whenever they have elections and I take over the Government, I will not respect that borrowing. I will not respect that type of irresponsibility.”

The Opposition Member went on: “As far as going to the House of Assembly, that is only window-dressing. The House comprises nine members who are on the Government side…They have five elected members against two so it is fait accompli that they will get approval in the Assembly. But, having got approval, does not give them a mandate as far as a bank is concerned because they still have to get approval from a bank and the guarantee must be right. Who will do the guarantee?

“They can’t put up Anguilla’s land - that’s Crown Land. The British Government will have to approve the borrowing. I heard the Chief Minister said that he is going to the House of Assembly next month to borrow 40 million dollars irrespective of whether the British Government give approval or not…Well, if a bank can take the risk to lend Anguilla money, no problem because the bank stands to lose that money…:

Mr. Hughes was of the view that the British Government had spoken toughly to the Anguillian delegation relating to matters of “lavish spending” and the granting of large concessions to projects, thus not collecting the needed money to finance the island’s needs. “I have a plan for the Government of Anguilla which I will not release at this time,” he added, indicating that he would wait until he “takes over Government.”

Another matter, about which he expressed annoyance, was a meeting held on Tuesday night at Blowing Point by Government officials and the Police without inviting him to attend. It is understood that the meeting was to discuss youth violence and followed an earlier discussion with the Valley youth. “It was reported to me that three leading members of the Police Force held the meeting and they didn’t have the decency to invite the representative. But Mr. Banks, Mr. Curtis Richardson, Mr. Brent Davis … were there,” he stated.

Mr. Hughes said certain statements offensive to him were made at the meeting by a number of persons without him having the opportunity to respond.

“I am saying that this meeting should never have been held in my constituency with Mr. Banks being there and not the representative for the area, when there is an issue of village versus village. It is out of place and I asked the Chief of Police to make me an apology. He had two lieutenants with him and statements were made against my character and I want an apology because I should have been there to defend myself.”

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