As we go about our daily business, oblivious to the world outside our immediate environment, there are those who are planning moves which are directed at us, and which are not intended to serve our best interests.

I speak of the United Kingdom’s Government.

The UK Guardian online edition for Wednesday 28th October, 2009, is headlined: “New threat for UK’s offshore havens: tax"

Britain’s tax havens will be read the last rites tomorrow when a Treasury commissioned will tell them to raise new taxes if they are to survive the economic crisis.”

I urge you all to read this article at www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/oct/28/tax-more-tax-havens-told
The article refers to the author of the Report, Sir Michael Foot, and says: “Sir Michael Foot, a former Bank of England official and Bahamas bank inspector, will demand that island paradises [sic] must take greater responsibility for their economic futures.”

One is immediately made to wonder which “island paradises” [sic] Foot is referring to. We in Anguilla know that he could not be referring to Anguilla which has had FULL and SOLE responsibility for its economy, past, present and future, since 1985. Our successive Governments, made up of various permutations of the same elected officials in the main, have done a remarkably excellent job in this regard over those years.

The one error that our present Government has made is to sign this non-binding, non-legal “agreement” with the FCO whereby they promised to abide by certain borrowing guidelines and permit the FCO to give “consent” to our borrowing. As I pointed out before, that “agreement” is not worth the wasted paper and ink used to produce it.

It has no legal effect. It is a toy. No different to those “papers” our young children play make believe with. Yet, our Government constrains itself to the “Guidelines” set out in that child’s play document and thereby embolden the Colonial Dictators to attempt even more dictatorial oppression of our People.

The article goes on: “He [Sir Foot- say that like a West Indian and it comes out ‘Sore Foot’] is likely to emphasize that offshore jurisdictions will have no one to blame but themselves if they get into financial difficulties. Foot is also expected to say they have no excuse not to abide by anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism finance benchmarks.” With respect, who “they” they talking bout? London? Delaware? The 5th. and 1st. largest Tax Havens on earth respectively? Yes, in case you did not know, Delaware is THE LARGEST Tax Haven in the World and “Good Old Mother England” is the ranked FIFTH LARGEST Tax Haven on Earth. [ SEE: “USA Tops International Tax Haven List, Thanks To Delaware” in The Huffington Post for November 3, 2009 at www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/11/01/usa-tops-international-ta_n_340613.html]

Neither of those two Tax Havens has deployed within their Jurisdictions the oppressive and imperialistic Legislation they force down the throats of others. And, do not be fooled, none of this is about “Terrorism”; it is all about them taxing their Citizens. After all, name one terrorist activity connected with the Tax Free “ island paradises ” [sic]. Now, name all the terroristic activities emanating from U.K Citizens, U.S Citizens and European Citizens. Zero, and endless, respectively. Yet, they want to “..read the last rites..” to these little “..island paradises..” [sic].

The writer goes on: “ It is understood the [U.K ] government has particular concerns over the ability of Anguilla and Montserrat to ride out the economic storm. The Caribbean islands have been affected by the decline in financial services and US tourism.” Whoa! hold on a moment please! Has not “the decline in financial services and US tourism..” also affected the U.K and the U.S.A? Have not these said Governments borrowed billions of currency to bail out their own economies? What makes them better than us, please? They can borrow to rescue their economies, but we are to be castigated and treated like criminals because we need to borrow to rescue our own economy?

Hear what the article says further: “ In the event of further economic deterioration, certain Caribbean islands could become failed states and be dragged into the illegal drugs trade, Whitehall [the seat of the U.K Government] insiders have said recently.” Again, let us examine which states are “failed states and are heavily into the illegal drugs trade..”

We all are aware that the United Kingdom is a failed State. It is bankrupt. It is ‘spinning top’ economically, taxing its people into financial oblivion and producing nothing to save its Titanic self. That is why it is their imperative to join with the European Union and others to try to keep their heads above the icy waters of the North Atlantic. The U.K’s illegal drug trade is in the billions of Pounds. That must qualify as being “..heavily into the illegal drug trade..” Hey, Physician, I done tell you already; HEAL THY SELF! If you are an eye doctor, pluck the beam from your own eye! If you are not, I can give you Dr. Bardfield’s number. He will gladly “pluck” it for you.

The bottom line must be that we have had enough of this unequal and inequitable Colonial relationship with the United Kingdom! They have already committed aggressive acts of War against us. That was in 1969 when they militarily invaded Anguilla., a Free and Independent Republic and dragged us back into Colonial Status. A Free People conquered and subjugated against their collective will. They did not invade Rhodesia in 1965 when Ian Smith declared unilateral Independence, but they invaded Anguilla. What was the difference? Well, at the risk of being labeled incorrectly, Ian Smith and his racist Government were descendants of the British while President Ronald Webster and his Government were descendants of slaves.

Nothing has changed. Now they invade us by threats and dictates.

Gordon Brown, Baron of Fifty Thousand Quid; Chris Bryant, Duke of Underpants: TAKE HEED: THIS MOUSE WILL ROAR! This is a new era, manned by a new Generation of Anguillians who swore no fealty to the Crown! As the great Calypsonian once sang: [Gordy and Chrissy], “Tek you bundle and leave and go, don’t stay here no more..”

[Want to know why I refer to MP Chris Bryant as “underpants”? “Google “Chris Bryant MP”. You will get a list of items on this person. Check out this Photo taken by Mr. Bryant and posted on the Internet. It is on the list which will come up when you Google Her Majesty’s Ministerhttp://orderorder.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/9f4919b48e584b5f404070501883ffdf_RhonddaMPChrisBryant.jpg ]

“ ‘The time has come,’ the Walrus said, ‘to speak of many things. Of shoes and ships and sealing wax; of cabbages and Kings’ “ [Alice in “Through a Looking Glass”]

Today, We in Anguilla must speak, not “..of shoes and ships and sealing wax..” but of INDEPENDENCE from the United Kingdom. Not “.of cabbages and Kings..”, but of Freedom from those ‘cabbages and Kings”, and of our inalienable Right to determine our own Destiny; to decide for ourselves what is in our best interests. To decide whether the People of Anguilla must be subjected to Income Tax. [A reminder to our Politicians, real and imagined, the Boston Tea Party was seeded by Taxation without representation; last night in the Gubernatorial Elections in New Jersey and Virginia, two candidates for the Democratic Party went down in flames due to the perception of Tax increases. The race to fill the seat in New York 23rd Congressional District has already seen the exit of the Republican candidate, also due to the Tax perception.

We did not, do not, cannot and will not vote for “Underpants” Chris Bryant or any other Member of the U.K Parliament or of Whitehall. They CANNOT decide for us. You are who WE the People voted to govern our affairs. Not them. Roll over and play dead and allow them to trample us and you will suffer politically. The pencil is mightier than the sword. Beware the Polls are nigh; be aware of what WE the People of Anguilla want.!]

We must abide the admonition of that Walrus and speak; but we must speak to our Freedom to decide whether we sing “ God save the Queen”, or we sing “ God Bless Anguilla”. We must be free to decide which country best serves our interests and treat them accordingly, and not have the likes of “Underpants” or “Fifty Thousand Pound Brown” decide that for us.

I therefore urge you to engage the Politicians, real and imagined, in a discussion as to what is their timetable for Independence after the February 2010 Elections. Not “If”, but “WHEN”?. DO NOT let anyone cause you to be fearful. Do not allow them to fill your minds with doubt. There are those out there who serve the Colonial interests and not the interests of Anguilla. A scraggly lot; wolves in sheep’s clothing; Trojan Horses; “Thirty Pieces of Silverites”.

When they attempt to preach fear to you rebuke them with the indelible words of that great American President: “ We have nothing to fear but fear itself”.

Banish those milquetoasts who will try to convince you that you are better off being supplicant to the British; banish them to the depths and dungeons of the hottest part of Hades reserved for those who sell out their Country for filthy lucre, then strut around sounding off like true Patriots! They are known; they cannot hide; their masks are transparent; their souls are impaled on greed; they reek of treachery; they sell their souls for uncooked johnny cakes!

They are more Judas than the man from Iscariot ever was. They are evil incarnate; they who will tell you that you are better off being a People without power; being ensnared in the vile grip of Colonial over-lordship. They will be unwittingly saying to you that Britons are better than Anguillians, themselves included. They will be forgiven, though not followed, for “they know not what they do”. [Source: Jesus Christ as he hung dying on the cross, slaughtered by the Imperial Colonial Power of the Roman Empire acting in concert with his fellow Rabbis. Sounds familiar?]

Anguillians, let your voices sing out in sweet and melodious harmony the immortal words of the Great Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr.: “ FREE AT LAST, FREE AT LAST, THANK GOD ALMIGHTY WE ARE FREE AT LAST!"

Thank you sir.
Tommy Astaphan
Little Harbour

| Printer-friendly page | Send this article to a friend |

World News