Many nationals and tourists of Anguilla thronged the poolside of Frangipani Beach Club on Friday 22nd February 2019 in eager anticipation of the launching of Anguilla’s first book publication produced on the tumultuous storm, Hurricane Irma. The book dubbed, “Natures Terrorist Hurricane Irma, The Unleashing of an Unstoppable Fury on the Tiny Island of Anguilla in the Caribbean,” is authored by Anguillian native, J. Christopher (Chris) Richardson. The book is dedicated to his father, a born Anguillian of the village of South Hill.
This is the author’s second book project, the first being “Looking Back Through the Eyes of a Teacher’s son.” Chris is known for having a unique style of writing and as one of the guests who would have read his first book stated: “When I read any of his material I can hear his sonorous voice and his sense of passion in every word on those pages.”

The first guest speaker, Dr. Mervyn Richardson (brother of Chris), said he knew Chris from birth and his writings today are no surprise to the family. He continued, “As a child growing up in Sandy Point St. Kitts, we were raised in a fenced property and were cautioned not to leave the premises without parental permission. But Chris, an inquiring mind, sought no permission as he would jump the fence and mingle with the villagers, and on his return he will report to us the happenings in the village.”
The second guest speaker, Dr. Wycliffe Fahie, jovially highlighted Chris’ creativity and made reference to his first book which spoke of village life which compelled him to crack the pages of his second book “Nature’s Terrorist Hurricane Irma.” He opined captioning the book as “Nature’s Terrorist” was very imaginative indeed and is thought provoking in and of itself. He spoke to the record time of writing this book which comprises over two hundred pages, and he knows it’s not an easy task as he implored all to walk by the desk and have an autographed copy.
Mr. Bren Romney, Director of Youth and Culture, spoke to the occasion as super special as the book launch marked Chris’ mom’s, Teacher Enid’s, 88th birthday. The crowd cheered at this comment as the two grandchildren, DeLeon and Kohn, sang her the happy birthday song. Mr. Romney commented that he knows Chris on a personal and professional level and highlighted him as an exceptionally talented speaker, lecturer, conversationalist and writer. He referenced that the Department of Youth and Culture, on a number of occasions, would have employed his services in conducting various workshops and the participants could have never got tired of listening to him. Mr. Romney claimed, “He has a unique style of holding his audience’s attention and, as he teaches and engages them in discussions, it is usual for him to insert stories that keep everyone on the edge of their seat. Absolutely no one sleeps in Chris’s sessions whether it is half day, whole day or two days. He is just a gifted young man.”
Chris’ Chief editors, Mr. Charles and Mrs. Lynn Dubois (retired writer and communication specialist for the Pennsylvania State Government and Penn State University), commented: “In this book you will find a vivid account of the harrowing hours when Irma terrorized Anguilla and of the heroic days when Anguillians rose to rebuild and renew. On these pages are tales of sadness and humor, of missteps and shortsightedness, of compassion and bravery, but, above all, of enduring faith and the will to endure. New York Times # 1 Bestselling author, Marshal Karp, commented, “Nature’s Terrorist Hurricane Irma” is so much more than a book about a natural disaster that ravaged an entire Caribbean nation. It is a riveting story about triumph over adversity. It is about hope emerging from despair and finding that silver lining behind the darkest clouds.”
Sandra, wife of Chris, introduced him as a hard worker and one who sees no challenge as insurmountable, which was confirmed by his son Ian.

The curtains were brought down by the magical singing of Omari Banks with his iconic song “Just Move On.” Chris thanked all for their support – including the ownership of Frangipani Beach Resort who sponsored the venue. He exhorted all to tell their stories in print form and reminded them of the maxim, “Until Lions write their own history, the tale of the hunt will always glorify the hunter.”
Books are on sale at US$20 at Paramount Pharmacy, in the Water Swamp, or persons can contact Chris or Sandra at 1(264) 235 6401.

The Malliouhana Poetry Committee is expressing its appreciation to all those who participated in its Extempo “Moonlight Stories Edition” on 19th February. The popular event attracted a large cross-section of the community, including students from the Alwyn Allision Primary School, the West End Community Centre, the Boys’ Brigade, storytellers and poets around a campfire on the beach at Crocus Bay.
Children sang songs and roasted marshmallows, while Storytellers Ivor Hodge, Collette Jones-Chin, and Hyacinth Hughes, and poets Rhonica Connor, Vanessa Croft-Thompson and MC Lendon Williams, kept the audience captivated with their presentations.

The gathering, which was livestreamed by Lloyd Gumbs, garnered much positive feedback from the attendees and online viewers – as well as calls for a repeat.

The Malliouhana Poetry Committee offers special thanks to Mr. Calvin Andre Samuel, Ms. Gina Brooks, Mr. Ayinde Hodge and Mr. Leeford Gumbs of the 2nd Anguilla Boys’ Brigade, as well as Mr. Carl Webster Jr. and Mr. Kelley Fleming for their support in ensuring the success of the “Moonlight Stories” Extempo evening.

The Malliouhana Poetry Competition is organised by the University of the West Indies Open Campus Anguilla in collaboration with the Anguilla Library Service, the Department of Youth and Culture and the Anguilla Community College. It seeks to encourage literacy and artistic expression, as well as to promote an ethos of social, cultural, and political awareness. The Committee hopes that the Extempo evenings will continue to inspire local writers – and is inviting junior and senior poets to participate in the 2019 Malliouhana Poetry Competition slated for 8th May 2019 under the theme “A Climate of Courage”.

– Press Release

The Brisbane Sizzling Summer Cycling Series began on Sunday, February 24, 2019 and Anguilla’s very own, Hasani Hennis, winner of the 2018 John T. Memorial Cycling Race, secured the number one position in the very first race. The race was approximately 20 miles with some 25 participants.

An excited Hasani made special mention of his fellow Anguillian cyclist, Zambezi Richardson, who played a very important role in helping him secure the win!
Both Hasani and Zambezi are presently training in Australia under the expertise of Professional Coach Brad Reardon – a costly training which is mostly financed by their families and some supportive Anguillians.
The Anguilla Cycling Association extends congratulations to Hasani and Zambezi and look forward to many more success stories.

– Press Release

Bedwetting is a traumatic ordeal, too often endured in embarrassing silence by families. This disorder can affect both children and adults, but tend to affect children. Parents are encouraged to seek help if bedwetting continues after the age of 12.
What is bedwetting?
Bed-wetting, also called nighttime incontinence or nocturnal enuresis, is the involuntary urination while asleep after the age at which staying dry at night can be reasonably expected. Some cases of bedwetting are a normal part of a child’s development, especially if it occurs before the age of 7. Bed-wetting can affect anyone, but it’s twice as common in boys as in girls.
Most children outgrow bed-wetting on their own — but some need a little help. In other cases, bed-wetting may be a sign of an underlying condition that needs medical attention.

What are some causes of bedwetting?
In many cases there is not an obvious cause of bedwetting in children, but it could be because the child:
• produces more urine than his or her bladder can cope with
• has an overactive bladder, meaning it can only hold a small amount of urine
• is a very deep sleeper, so he or she does not react to the signals telling his or her brain his or her bladder is full
• has a hormone imbalance
• has diabetes
• suffers from chronic constipation
• has a structural problem in the urinary tract or nervous system
Bedwetting often runs in families.
Occasionally, bedwetting is triggered by emotional distress such as being bullied or moving to a new school.

When to see your doctor
Most children outgrow bed-wetting on their own — but some need some treatment. In other cases, bed-wetting may be a sign of an underlying condition that needs medical attention. I strongly urge you to consult a doctor if your child has the following:
• Your child still wets the bed after age 7-12 years
• Your child starts to wet the bed after a few months of being dry at night
• Bed-wetting is accompanied by painful urination, unusual thirst, pink or red urine, hard stools, or snoring

Treatment
Most children outgrow bed-wetting on their own. If treatment is needed, it can be based on a discussion of options with your doctor and identifying what will work best for your situation.
In some cases, a few lifestyle changes will do the trick. These include avoiding caffeine and limiting fluid intake after 6 pm.
If found, underlying causes of bed-wetting, such as constipation or sleep apnoea, should be addressed before other treatment.
Options for treating bed-wetting may include moisture alarms and medication. Medical treatments are not usually recommended for children under five.

Complications
Although frustrating, bed-wetting without a physical cause does not pose any health risks. Bed-wetting can create some issues for your child, including:
• Guilt and embarrassment, which can lead to low self-esteem
• Loss of opportunities for social activities, such as sleepovers and camp
• Rashes on the child’s bottom and genital area — especially if your child sleeps in wet underwear.

Conclusion
Bedwetting in children can be frustrating for both children and parents. By age 5 or 6, 85% of children can stay dry throughout the night, but some children still wet the bed from time to time until age 10 or 12. The cause of bedwetting is sometimes difficult to identify. In some cases, simple lifestyle changes are sufficient, but in other cases, further treatment might be required.

Ask Your Dr is a health education column and is not a substitute for medical advice from your physician. The reader should consult his or her physician for specific information concerning specific medical conditions. While all reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that all information presented is accurate, as research and development in the medical field are ongoing, it is possible that new findings may supersede some data presented.

Dr Brett Hodge MB BS DGO MRCOG is an obstetrician/Gynaecologist and Family Doctor with over thirty-six years in clinical practice. Dr Brett Hodge has a medical practice in The Johnson Building in The Valley (Tel: 264 497 5928).

Anguilla: Digicel customers can now enjoy more with the launch of a full suite of prepaid and postpaid plans, built specifically to give Anguillians the best mobile LTE experience on island.

The move is part of Digicel’s promise to take things to the next level with an ongoing global network expansion. LTE is the very latest in commercially available mobile data technology, packing speeds up to ten times faster than 4G. It is capable of running multiple applications smoothly, allowing customers to share large files in real-time and multi-task to their heart’s content. With speeds that surpass anything on a personal computer, it also enables glitch-free High Definition (HD) videos and streaming in real-time, whether on a smartphone, tablet or other internet-enabled device.

The upgrade to our LTE network and launch of new prepaid and postpaid plans are major steps in equipping Anguilla with the most modern communications and entertainment infrastructure, while improving the country’s rate of internet penetration. To this, Kerchelle JnCharles-Hodge, CEO of Digicel Anguilla, commented, “Besides upgrading the way people connect, LTE gives a boost to local productivity and opens up significant earning and employment opportunities for the people of Anguilla.”

In its World Development Report (2016), the World Bank showed how a ten percentage point increase in broadband penetration can increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 1.38 percentage points in developing economies. With LTE, Anguilla can drive digital transformation and systematically restructure the society, getting the most out of services like e-commerce, e-learning and e-government.

“Digicel brings a full new set of prepaid and postpaid plans for Anguilla’s first island-wide LTE network, changing the way our customers connect, work and play. We’re very excited about moving data at much faster speeds so our customers can enjoy a more seamless experience with us,” said JnCharles-Hodge. “Customers can now enjoy two hours of free video streaming every day, unlimited WhatsApp, Digicel calling, up to 25GBs of data and more,” the CEO added.

The launch of the new plans took the form of a customer appreciation day, and saw the first twenty customers entering the store at 6 am, on Friday, walking away with a number of prizes including: 50” flat screen TV, iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S8+, Samsung phone accessories, gas vouchers, free Digicel services and more. The day was also packed with entertainment by a number of local artistes and the 2018 Road march Champions Exodus HD! Customers also received complimentary LTE cupcakes and Digicel products throughout the day. A playground area was set up for the kids with free cotton candy, popcorn and snow cones being served all day. Also traveling all the way to Anguilla, for the grand LTE celebration, was the Digicel LTE robot ‘ROBOZAO’ , who made several appearances throughout the day and presented a number of miniature bots to the very excited kids and customers who interacted with him.

ROBERT EDWARD RIEMAN
Bob Riemann (Bobcat) went home to be with the Lord on October 23, 2018 at the Community Hospice Acosta-Rua facility, Jacksonville, Florida.

Born March 3, 1942 in Cortland, NY, Bob was the son of Edward and Jean (Marshall) Riemann. He married Catherine Trapl on July 17, 1993 in Utica, NY.

Most of Bob’s life was spent in Ilion and Herkimer NY (the Mohawk Valley). In 1996, however, he and his wife began the adventure of spending winters in Anguilla, British West Indies, and summers in Lake Clear, New York (Adirondack Mountains). In 2009 they settled in Jacksonville, Florida, winters and continued to spend summers in Lake Clear until 2017.

Bob earned his helicopter pilot’s license and worked for a short time in the Catskill Mountain resort areas, (NY) in the 70’s, but his true loves were music and Amateur (Ham) Radio. He founded “Rieman’s of Herkimer”, a musical instrument sales and repair business specializing in Pianos and Organs and was in business for over 30 yrs. He taught the piano and was highly regarded in the music field. His love for music was inherited from both parents who were accomplished musicians. He delighted many in the resorts of Anguilla and Lake Placid (Adirondack Mtns) with his easy listening and dancing music. “Keyboard stylings” he mused with his singer and other accompanists.

Amateur Radio was Bob’s main hobby, although he was often described as a “jack of all trades”. He earned his first license, K2ZCM, in the late 50’s, but his most recent calls signs were N2FBB (Fine Business Bob), and VP2EBR (Caribbean call). He was an active member of Amateur Radio clubs in Herkimer, Anguilla, Saranac Lake , and Florida.

In life, Bob was a generous, kind and caring man and was so even in death. He made arrangements for his body to be donated to ANATOMY GIFTS REGISTRY, a nonprofit body donation program, located in Hanover, Maryland. The research from his generous donation will continue to help countless others for years to come.

Bob is survived by his wife and soulmate of 30 years, stepson Malcolm Burke (Ryna) Jacksonville, stepson Antoine Hodge (Charzetta) NC, grandchildren Malcolm II, Amare, Mallory Kate, Zachary, Haley, Sydney, Catherine Amaya, Antoine Jr and Anthony.

He is also survived by his 101 yr young mother, Jean Cleveland, Boca Raton; his sister Annie Babcock (Tom) Ft Meyers Beach; his nephew Mike Babcock, Ca; his Aunt Alma Rumsey SC; his uncle Bill Marshall NY; several cousins and his special friend Jaine Rogers Price, Anguilla.
He was predeceased by his father, Edward Fred Riemann.

Passion, commitment, the love of nature, hard work, resilience and most importantly God’s manifold blessings that have been bestowed upon me on a daily basis have been the driving force to my success in farming.
It is a profession of hope, healthy eating habits and a joy.
I wish to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Ken Vanterpool, Dennis Brooks, Tyrone Petty, Charles Webster, Trenton Roach, Vernice Gumbs, Trevor Bell, Andrew Compton, Lyndon Hughes and Shawn Smith for their assistance with items in the preparation of my Garden.
Thanks to all for your continued encouragement and support in my quest as an avid farmer and to the Anguilla Beautification Club for the excellent work that they have been doing over the years. Job well done!
Irma Carty
Rockville Gardens

On Wednesday, February 27th, the Ministry of Social Development, in collaboration with UNICEF, launched its Social Protection Policy and Action Plan which will benefit Anguilla’s most vulnerable citizens. This formation began in May 2018 with a public consultation to set the stage for its framework.
The facilitator for that meeting was UNICEF’s Mr. David Cownie, Social Protection Consultant. He was accompanied by Ms. Lyanna Harracksingh, a UNICEF Social Policy Officer for the Eastern Caribbean. In July of last year, they both returned to facilitate a follow-up forum and to solidify ongoing work on the draft policy. Ms. Harracksingh returned with other officials of UNICEF to participate in Wednesday’s launch.

Ms. Muriel Mafico, Deputy Representative of UNICEF’s Office for the Eastern Caribbean spoke of the swiftness by which the National Social Protection Policy was produced. She attributed high praise to Anguilla for leading the way in expediting such an important policy in a timely fashion.
Ms. Mafico remarked: “Today we are here to mark a first. This is the presentation of the National Social Protection Policy which already has an action plan and a monitoring and evaluation plan. At this junction I wish to pause and sincerely congratulate the Ministry of Social Services and the Department of Social Development and their teams for a job well done. In all my policy work, I have never seen policy development with consultation that started in May of the previous year and launched in February the following year. This is a first.”

“This is a remarkable achievement, not only for Anguilla, but you are also setting a pace and a challenge for the region in terms of speedy policy development — and in terms of a consultative process that has involved multiple stake holders.”
Ms. Mafico went on to stress that the lessons learned by the development of this policy are critical lessons that will benefit not only Anguilla, but other jurisdictions beyond the shores of the island as well.

She continued: “Globally, UNICEF is involved in working with various countries. We support the development of social protection policies across the globe. We advocate for child and gender sensitive policies.

“The global research is very evident in demonstrating that children are disproportionately affected, especially when it comes to poverty. So, it is fitting that we have a policy that recognizes the importance of investing in young people, in people generally, and the importance of building resilience.
“The National Social Protection policy that is being launched today will bring even greater momentum to the social development agenda for this country. As we acknowledge the good strides that you have made — and we can’t underestimate them — we also need to be very cognizant that the challenges are still real.”
She highlighted three challenges in particular namely: economic deficiencies, the frequency and severity of natural disasters, and poverty and inequality. She related all three of these contextual challenges with the adverse conditions that our vulnerable citizens may face.

The Minister of Social Services, Hon. Evan McNiel Rogers, spoke about his delight and gratefulness for the policy. He noted: “I am very proud to be launching the National Social Protection policy after many months of hard work. The development of the policy along with its action plan and monitoring and evaluation framework have been a collaborative effort where we have taken into account the broad landscape of social protection in Anguilla.”
He stated, “Social protection can be defined in a general sense as policies and programmes designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, diminishing people’s exposure to risk, and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age.”

He said that the broader vision of the policy is helping Anguilla advance towards its 2030 sustainable goals — in particular, those goals that are focused on social development. The Minster said it requires the efforts of all stakeholders in the community to make the policy impactful.
The Minister thanked UNICEF for its diligence and hard work in funding the policy’s development and guiding its production. He particularly made mention of, and gave thanks to, Mr. David Cownie for his insight in drafting the policy. In addition, he thanked Ms. Harracksingh for her invaluable contribution. He also gave special thanks to Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs. Bonnie Richardson-Lake, and the Social Development Planner, Mrs. Kiesha Gumbs-Bibby, as well as the Commissioner of Social Development, Mr. Sanford Richardson.

Other officials who spoke at the policy launch were: Mr. Timothy Hodge, Director of Social Security; Dr. Wycliffe Fahie, Principal Asst. Secretary in The Ministry of Finance; Mr. Sanford Richardson, Commissioner of Social Develoment; Mrs. Kiesha Gumbs-Bibby, Social Development Planner; and Ms. Lyanna Harracksingh, UNICEF’s Social Policy Officer, who spoke concerning the financial aspect of the policy’s production.

Brining an air of sentiment to the launch, a song, “Lean on Me” was rendered by Anguilla’s reigning Miss Teenage, Ms. Charisma Jones-Chin. In addition, two poems, “When In the Shadows” and “To a Golden Citizen” were recited by local poet, Mrs. Patricia Adams.

Drive-through viewing at Rey’s Funeral Home

A number of family members, friends and curious persons crowded around the front section of Rey’s Funeral Home in Anguilla on Wednesday, February 27.

It was an opportunity for the gathering to catch a glimpse of the late Ossie Rey whose well-attired remains stood in a display glass window as if in real life. It is one of the new services. A previously well-known and outgoing personality, Ossie died on February 1 at the age of 42. Apart from working in the hospitality industry, he frequently served as an assistant at Rey’s Funeral Home, his father’s business now substantially being modernised.

The image of ‘Ossie’ represents a new feature being offered by the long-established funeral home. A soon-to-come addition will be a cremation service. Eldon Rey, who now manages the facility, spoke about the drive-by viewing service which was introduced in Anguilla on Wednesday, February 27, as stated above.

“On this date we have introduced a drive-through viewing service for the people of Anguilla, to be followed soon by a cremation service. The drive-through viewing can be done in two ways. We can put the human remains to stand up, to sit down or put the body in a casket to be viewed, as people are accustomed to. There is the western road where persons can enter, and then exit through the eastern road which will take them to the junction at the stoplight. The viewing is going to be controlled by the family. They will decide how they want the viewing to be done – whether they want it to be private where they can use remotes to close or open the window; or they can leave it open to allow the public to see the body all day or all night as we are doing now with Ossie. You can close it off at a

The late Mr. Oswald ‘Ossie’ Rey

certain time or just private where certain people can come and see it. So there are many options you can have with the drive-through service.”

Asked what this means to Rey’s Funeral Home, Eldon replied: “It is a step in a new direction, and era in the funeral business, as we try to keep Anguilla and Rey’s Funeral Home abreast with the times. Hopefully, the folks here will embrace it and use it to their advantage. It is an advantage to the people and also to the employees who get to go home – and grieving families have an opportunity to see their loved ones as much as they want and to except their grief.”
.
Meanwhile, Ossie’s wife, Nivola Livingston-Rey, and their children, are the first family to have that privilege as they stood outside looking at his well-dressed body. “As it is the first time in Anguilla, it is something to experience,” the widow commented. “People are accustomed to see their loved ones in a casket, but now you have a choice of seeing your loved ones in whatever position you want them to be in. Ossie could either have been sitting down or standing up. My brother-in-law, Eldon Rey, a Director of the funeral home, dressed him that way.”

The funeral service will be held at the Sandy Ground Ballfield on Saturday, March 2. Tributes will be from 10 – 11 am followed by the funeral service. According to Eldon, his brother, Ossie, will be cremated either in St. Maarten or St. Croix.

Mr. Eldon Rey

Eldon usually spends much time in St. Croix where he runs a branch of Rey’s Funeral Home. “I am a licensed Funeral Director in New York and New Jersey. I am also licensed in the Virgin Islands. I have been in the funeral business for over thirty years. I have my own funeral home in St. Croix which also has a drive-through viewing service which I introduced to the folks in St. Croix in 2012. I also have a crematorium over there which was introduced in 2013.”

About the cremation service in Anguilla, Eldon said: “The unit has been ordered. It takes about five months to be built, and it should be ready for shipment sometime soon. By April, or so, we should have the unit here in Anguilla and getting ready to install it. It is about two or three months away.”

Fellow Anguillians I am Lucien Mac Donna Apostle of the LIFE IMPACT CENTRE.
I wish the address the rising issues within our country while there are many others things and issues that needs to be addressed.
I would like to address the most recent one – the UK parliamentary committee proposal.
These islands are very unique and cultural.
I have not spoken publicly on any issues or issuses confronting this country since I last addressed and opposed the position given to the last Attorney General.
While there was some divisions on that matter, there were those who in high and low places and thought that the position I took was not the right one.
ANGUILLA is a very complex place and therefore the way followed seems to me to be more divisive than unified, because politics is put it every cup of tea…
However, we are now faced with an issue that will define us as a people, which will remove our identity as indigenous people.
The barbaric and colonial proposal sent to the UK Prime Minister Theresa May is very insulting to us as a people.
Over 60 years ago Anguilla was in a dark and cold place, where many Anguillans fought and sacrificed their lives to bring us to where we are now.
After all our hard work and many, many sacrifices, the table is now spread for these sons and grandsons of the Colonial slave traders to come and enslave us once again. I say, A BIG NO TO THAT.
We must decide what we want and who we want to become.
If there’s ever a time like now, we as a people need to stand together and break the political lines.
Many say we need progress, but how much are we willing to give up in the name of progress?
This proposal by the UK parliamentary committee seeks to attack and insult our dignity and divide us on three fronts: politically, legislatively and by far morally.
In my view this is an outrage to seek to impose such a nonsensical things on the OI’S.
Fellow Anguillians, if this is really true, our government must think long and hard to ever allow this to be tabled in the Anguilla House of Assembly.
Anguilla must not become like St.Martin – voiceless.
Fellow Anguillians, if this is done, then we would have given over our sovereignty, and our right to govern our own destiny as a people.
Such a preposterous thing should never occur in the OT’S or in Anguilla.
I stand by boldly rejecting this ungodly proposal as an Anguillian.
I pray today that we, as a people, will come to understand that the Bible is clear on this issue .
“In the last days perilous times shall come” but even though they shall come we must not, as a people, stay silent on these issues.
There have been many in this country that have been voicing their disatisfaction on a number of issues.
I believe that this is a position where we all, as Anguillians, should be outraged and reject it.
I say, let us stand firm and not allow anything to be dictated or to be pushed down our throats.

Our future and the future of our children and grandchildren depend on the position and action that we take to confront this ungodly act or proposal.

God bless you and God bless Anguilla
Mac Donna

Leader of the Opposition Palmovan Webster

The general and at-large elections in the neighbouring British Virgin Islands on Monday, February 25, should have been of much interest to Anguilla for two main reasons.
The first is that Anguilla may learn something useful from the fact that, apart from the general election in the various districts, there was also an at-large election as has been the practice in the BVI for 25 years. Candidates in the BVI had been elected to four at-large seats to the First Legislative Council in November 1950 but not subsequently. At-large seats were reintroduced in 1994 and, since that time, the system should have been perfected to a point where Anguilla can now benefit.

In just over a year Anguilla, too, will be having a general election in seven districts as well as an at-large election for four seats with competing candidates from various parts of the island. Just how the Electoral Office in the BVI handles both elections, particularly, on the ballot papers, should be of much interest to Anguilla.
The second reason for Anguilla’s interest in the BVI elections is that the island’s Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Palmovan Webster, was appointed Head of the Election Observation Mission Team. She and the rest of the team were invited to oversee the elections by Governor Augustus U. Jaspert of the BVI.
The other members of the mission are: Election Observers Jaime Green MSP, Scotland, and Glenn Bedingfield MP, Malta; Election Analysts Merce Castells, Spain, and Matthew Salik, United Kingdom; and Election Coordinator, Felicity Harrmann, Germany.
According to available information, the Observer Mission was expected to publish a report within two days following the election to outline its findings. A final report will be published, within two months after the election, offering recommendations for potential election reform in the BVI.
The Election Observation Mission is being guided by the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and the Code of Conduct for International Election Observers. The guidelines were adopted by international bodies involved in election observation at the United Nations in October 2005.

The snickering from the lawyers’ benches in the Anguilla House of Assembly on the afternoon of Wednesday 20 February 2019 was audible the length and breadth of the island. The Assembly was debating and passing into law the Business Licence Moratorium Act 2019. The Hon Pam Webster, the sole member of the Opposition in the House of Assembly, was absent. She was in the British Virgin Islands serving as the Head of the Election Observer Mission for the 25 February general elections. She was not able to make her contribution. So, the Bill passed without real discussion or dissent.

A little background may be useful. The Trades, Businesses, Occupations and Professions Licensing Act is the principal Act to which the moratorium applies. Section 7 creates an obligation for persons carrying on any trade, business, occupation or profession in Anguilla to pay a fee to government and obtain an annual Licence. Every rum shop, lawyers’ chambers, engineering firm, or grocery should annually pay a Licence fee into the Treasury.

This Act is not unique to Anguilla. It is found around the Leeward Islands. It was introduced in about the 1970s to ensure that every business was placed on some sort of record, and was obliged to pay a tax or fee. As there is usually in the islands no income tax law that applies to individuals, government would otherwise be unaware of what little businesses are being carried on in the island.

The Licence fee is payable for every place of business. I well remember Clement Daniels’ consternation in the early 1980s when I advised him that he had to pay for a separate Licence for each of his two Galaxy Supermarket outlets, the one in Wallblake and the other in South Valley, barely a half mile apart. Still, they were two separate places of business.
There is case law on the Trades, Businesses, Occupations and Professions Licensing Act. In or about 1995, the Antigua version of the Act said that when a person applied for his or her business to be licensed, the Minister “may” issue a Licence. In other words, the grant of a Licence was not automatic. The Antigua Act appeared to give the Minister a discretion whether to issue a Licence to persons who paid for their annual Licence.

The Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association, the medical profession and others brought legal proceedings to challenge the law. They objected, among other matters, to the discretion being given to the Minister to determine who could be licensed as a lawyer or a doctor. Ann Goodwin (now Ann Henry QC) was at the time the President of the Antigua and Barbuda Bar Association. The case was brought in her name among others.

They won in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal. These courts both ruled that the Act was unconstitutional. In its judgment in the case of A-G v Goodwin and others (Antigua CA 10/1997, unreported) the Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of Justice Redhead in the High Court. Once the applicant satisfies the requirements of the Act and pays the fee, there is no discretion to refuse. The Licence must be automatically issued. There is under the Act no power for the minister to regulate who can carry on business. The Minister has no discretion to refuse to grant a Licence.

The Business Licence Moratorium Act 2019 (assuming the Governor assents to it) recites that,
WHEREAS it is in the public interest that a temporary moratorium prohibiting the granting of licences under section 7 of the Act is adopted so that the Government of Anguilla may review the business licence regime in order to regulate the grant of such licences in relation to clearly defined categories of enterprise and business activities having regard to the emerging needs of the economy of Anguilla and to protect and safeguard certain Anguilla businesses; . . .
Essentially, section 2(1) imposes a moratorium for a year on the grant of all Business Licences. That is bad enough, but what is more worrying, the Bill provides for exceptions to be made. Section 2(2) provides:
Notwithstanding subsection (1), the Permanent Secretary shall have the power, after consultation with the Minister of Finance, to grant or refuse a licence during the period of the moratorium to any person having regard to all relevant considerations and the overarching policy of the Government in respect of the animating purpose of the moratorium and review of the legislative regime for the grant of such licences.

This sub-section provides an exception for the Permanent Secretary, after consultation with the Minister, to grant a Licence during the moratorium. It is a general principle of common sense that any law which allows a politician to make an exception to a regulatory law is an invitation to wrongdoing.

Persons will assume that either the loophole will be taken advantage of through corrupt means, or, the real reason for introducing the loophole was to invite corrupt offers. It was not that long ago that a previous minister in Anguilla was charged by the police with assault for demanding sexual favours in return for exercising his power to instruct the issue of work permits to foreigners where such permits had previously been refused by the relevant government official.

One reason for the Bill may be to get around the Ann Goodwin case. It gives a discretion to the PS (who, of course, often does what his Minister tells him to do) to make an exception to the moratorium and to give a suitable applicant the necessary Licence to start up a new business. That is, this Act creates a power for a politician, the Minister, for the first time, to be able to decide which Anguillian entrepreneur can start up a business and which ones will be blocked by pointing at the Act and saying, “I’m sorry.” This must be a very worrying development.
A suspicious person may see other reasons for a government introducing such a measure. The first reason could be to invite an offer for high government officials to be paid off for the making of an exception. The second could be that Executive Council wishes to devise a way to stop certain types of businesses from opening up in Anguilla, or to stop certain types of persons from doing business in Anguilla.

The first theory above is doubtful. No one could seriously suggest such a thing. The second is more likely since there is a huge ground-swell against foreign-owned businesses that have been allowed into Anguilla over the past 40 years. It seems that every month a new foreign-owned mega-store is being constructed. These foreign businesses have been beating local businesses into the dirt through their access to much cheaper foreign government and foreign private investment capital. Their running costs are further reduced by importing dozens of impoverished fellow-countrymen who are willing to work for several years stocking shelves for little remuneration besides board and lodging. Few if any locals are employed. This allows foreign-owned shops to be much more competitive than local Anguillian ones.
It may not be long before ABC Supplies, Ace Hardware, Albert’s Marketplace, Anguilla Trading, Apex, Ashley & Sons, Benny’s, Best Buy, Lake’s Do It Best, JW Proctor’s and Romcan (our prominent local groceries and dry goods stores) are forced to close their doors. Indeed, if I heard a comment on radio correctly, the principal reason for the new law is to restrict the number of foreign-owned business opening up in competition with Anguillian businesses.

Of course, the whole exercise may just be for show, designed as smoke and mirrors for the upcoming general elections, or to appease supporters. There must be some political pressure on government as a result of the recent failure of a locally owned business, Tropical Distributors, to challenge in court the issue by government to a foreign-owned business of a business licence, resulting in losses by the local business to its foreign competitor, International Wines and Spirits. The Court of Appeal in an oral judgment in January 2019 dismissed the appeal from the High Court, promising to deliver written reasons at a later date. At the time of writing, these had not yet been seen. In this scenario, the main reason for the Bill would be to allow government to demonstrate they are taking action to stop this situation from arising again.

Over the past decades, foreigners who apply for business licences in Anguilla soon learn that once they are prepared to give away a 10 or 20% interest in the business to a politically favoured individual (officially referred to by government officials as “partnering”), the process for receiving the licence is smoothened. Interestingly, no land development planning regulations seem to apply to these partnership enterprises any longer. While the Planning Department obliges all locally owned businesses to provide customer parking seemingly the area of a football field, few foreign-owned businesses are made to provide parking for more than three or four vehicles. This anomaly raises suspicion and distrust among the public.

In light of these two factors, one must question whether Government officials could have any interest in genuinely stopping or restricting foreign-owned businesses from out-competing local businesses. Government officials could have no interest in limiting foreign-owned businesses, only in encouraging them. In this scenario, this law could not be intended to restrict foreign-owned businesses.
Next week we continue with “Part 2 – The Law”.

Where have the love and shared community values gone? How can we be at peace with the ever-present gun proliferation and violence? Anguilla has had three shootings so far this year and we are only in the second month of 2019. Our neighbours are additionally suffering, as St. Kitts experienced a shooting earlier this week. It is time we band together and address the violent actions that are becoming an unfortunate pattern. It’s time to take a step back in order to move forward. We need to address the root cause of the problem: only anger could cause our youth to become so desensitised to the value of human life that they are willing to snuff it out at the pull of a trigger. Why are the youth so desensitised? Why are they so angry?

Our young people are crying out for help. We cannot neglect the link between poverty, lack of opportunity, and violence. These are some of the factors that are de-humanising our communities and creating an environment where some of our most vulnerable young people turn to illegal drugs and firearms. We must tackle the root of the local pressures and deal with the inadequacies of our Anguillian economy. The current Government of Anguilla promised the people various policies and measures that would help alleviate financial strains and improve the welfare of the people through economic development. Unfortunately, those promises have not come to fruition and our youth are victims of this failure.

It is a well-known fact that the misuse of certain drugs or alcohol can lead to an increase in violent behaviour. It can produce paranoia and cause irrational behaviour, leading to uncontrolled anger and violent impulses – in some cases, homicide. We need to understand whether this is at the root of our tragic shootings or whether the cause is even more basic: lack of a worthwhile objective and boredom. Gun violence is a symptom of community dysfunction and societal dysfunction. Like any other illness, we have to identify the underlying causes and address them in order to secure improvement. The diverse stakeholders and the Government have to be involved in the process of reversing the harm, the ravages of dysfunction and the illness.

Many of our less fortunate young people are experiencing a lack of opportunity and jobs, resulting in an increased link between poverty and violence. There must be sufficient funding and plans to foster an environment that supports our young people and provides them with a path to becoming diligent students, athletes, and entrepreneurs. The sad reality is that young people are not afforded adequate opportunities in life and we must work to protect them from the slippery slope of crime in all its manifestations. The trend of normalizing violence is disastrous.

We must educate our young people so they do not grow up immune to violence and perpetuate toxic patterns that were normalised around them. We must look out for each other, as Anguillians have traditionally done, and be willing to stand up for what is right. There must be a mentality shift where we find a safe way to intercede when we know something wrong is taking place. Time and time again a blanket of secrecy comes down when there is trouble. Fear of retribution or the desire to shield an actual or potential wrong-doer will invariably frustrate preventative measures being taken and will frustrate detection after the event. The safety of our citizens should be ensured so that individuals can cooperate with law enforcement through means providing confidentiality. We must find a way to circumvent this cloak of secrecy and concealment if our nation as a whole is to survive as a civilised community.

Our values must be united and present in our homes and in our workplaces so that we can raise these young people to be just and successful. God will know whether you did your best for them; if you did, don’t feel guilty for their missteps, but help them on their path to reform. We must seek out role models who are law-abiding and responsible individuals that can coach and mentor others. Parents and children need support, counselling, and guidance to gain the tools needed to transform and elevate our communities.

As adults, we must set the standard and be the example for those who are lacking guidance. We must work together to uplift and motivate each other in ways that create opportunities for our people to flourish. As the Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin once said, “If we desire a society of peace, then we cannot achieve such a society through violence. If we desire a society without discrimination, then we must not discriminate against anyone in the process of building this society. If we desire a society that is democratic, then democracy must become a means as well as an end.”

The Health Authority of Anguilla has come in for a considerable amount of praise from the Life Impact Centre for “for rising to the call,” the title of the sermon by Apostle Lucien McDonna.

The occasion was a special service of recognition on Sunday, February 24, calling attention to the dedicated work of the health institution despite unwarranted criticism.

Apart from the regular congregation of the church, located in the western area of Anguilla, the event was attended by the Elected Representative for District 7 and Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Cardigan Connor; Minister of Health and Social Development, Mr. Evans Rogers; Chief Executive Officer of the Health Authority, Mrs. Maeza Demis-Adams; members of the Board of Directors and other senior health personnel.

“You had one objective during and after Hurricane Irma and it was to take care of those persons who were hurt and stressed – and I believe you rose to the call,” Apostle McDonna told the Health Authority representatives. “When many people were running around the island to see and assess what was going on, you were trying to assess how to help the next patient. I want us here at the church to give you a round of applause.”
He continued: “While others were complaining, you also had a reason to complain, but you rose to the call and worked in conditions that were not favourable. Again, we give you a round of applause. When your families at home were still in shock, about what had just happened, you ran to the aid of the helpless – and when equipment was damaged and difficult to work with, you rose to serve. Today, we are simply here to thank you, and want to give you a standing ovation.

“Sometimes there are people of this island who are not truly appreciative of the service you give from the front office, to the back office, the operation room and to the EMS. But you work hard selflessly for long hours. Looking to where you came from, since Irma, God has been truly good to you and to us. Many nurses, doctors and other staff walked through the corridors dealing with the situation at hand – leaving their own homes and families undone to make sure they served the people well.”

A certificate, expressing thanks and appreciation from the church, was presented to the Health Authority’s CEO, Mrs. Demis-Adams, by Apostle McDonna and Mrs. Pauline McDonna.

Mr. Rogers, the Minister of Health, recalled the difficult situation at the hospital during the hurricane, with the galvanize roof being ripped off, water rushing in and nurses and doctors moving around traumatized patients. He was grateful to all of them for their work, under those difficult conditions, and for their continued services to the people of Anguilla.

The Minister thanked the Governor and the UK Government for providing funds for the restoration of the hospital, as well as residents and expatriates for their support. He also spoke about plans to further upgrade the healthcare services, including his commitment to an ultra modern hospital, and the eventual repurposing of the current institution as a senior citizen facility.

Earlier, Mr. Cardigan Connor applauded the Health Authority “for all it has done and continues to do” for the people of Anguilla. He was pleased that the hospital had overcome its difficulties during, and in the immediate aftermath of, Hurricane Irma – and was now enjoying much restoration and expansion.

On Friday, February 23rd, a cadre of student poets from the island’s primary schools met with their parents and teachers, at the Teachers’ Resource Center, as the Anguilla Bar Association hosted an awards ceremony to recognize the work of junior poets who had submitted poems for the Malliouhana Poetry Competition (MPC). The awards event was part of the activities for Law Week which was observed in November 2018.

The Malliouhana Poetry Competition runs annually under the auspices of the University of the West Indies Open Campus. Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks is the Country Manager of that institution, and in her opening remarks said:
“We are indeed delighted to share in this celebration of the written word, the poetry that has come out of the competition with the theme, ‘Words Can Also Harm Me.’ The Malliouhana Poetry Competition Committee is a collaboration of entities including the UWI Open Campus Anguilla, the Anguilla Library Service, the Department of Youth and Culture and the Anguilla Community College.
“We have hosted the Malliouhana Poetry Competition for several years in order to create an interest in literacy. We are very pleased to collaborate at this level with the Anguilla Bar Association as it presents these much deserved awards today to our young, upcoming poets.”

Dr. Banks emphasized how challenging it was for the judges to decide on the results of the competition which was held over the course of last year. In addressing the young writers, in particular, Dr. Fleming-Banks continued:
“You have demonstrated such a keen understanding of the topic. Some of your work was very difficult to judge, and we were very heartened through the reading of your poems. If you at this age have that understanding and empathy for those who are bullied, or if you have even experienced that yourself, then it is our hope that the community at large will understand what the challenges are for those children who are bullied.”
The prizes and awards were issued to the students by Mr. Kerith Kentish of the Anguilla Bar Association. In grades 3 to 4, 1st prize went to Adiaiah Linton; 2nd to Asante Mkobe; and 3rd to Dwight Benjamin — all three students of the Orealia Kelly Primary School.
In grades 5 to 6, 1st prize went to Aaronde Joseph of the Omololu Institute; 2nd to Ethan Connor of the Alwyn Allison Primary School; and the 3rd to Warren Buddle of the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School.

A total of 27 students took part in the competition, and each child received a certificate of participation. The Orealia Kelly School received a plaque for the most entries.
On behalf of the Anguilla Bar Association, Mr. Kentish thanked all of the participating students, their parents and their teachers for producing an excellent poetry competition.

The UWI Open Campus Anguilla hosted a special mentorship session for the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School (ALHCS) Literary & Debating Society, on Wednesday 20th February, 2019, as part of their preparations for the upcoming Leeward Islands Debating Competition which started on 27th February 2019 in Antigua. The session was facilitated by UWI Alumna, Former Debater and Attorney-at-law, Mrs. Nakishma Rogers-Hull. In attendance were Ms. Samisha Connor, President of the ALHCS Literary and Debating Society, Ms. Michelle Morancie, Ms. Rhonicia Connor and Ms. Alysha Carty. The session was also supported by Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks and Ms. Tesia Harrigan from the UWI Open Campus Anguilla.

During the “round table” discussion, Mrs. Rogers-Hull shared her debating experiences as well as tips and strategies for sound content and effective delivery. She also quizzed the team on their preparations and fielded questions from the Debaters. The motivational session also sought to encourage the young orators to capitalise on their individual personalities and strengths, while embracing the unique attributes of an “Anguillian-styled” delivery.
The UWI Open Campus Anguilla wishes the ALHCS Literary and Debating Society much success, and has pledged increased support for the Club going forward.

– Press Release

Very often in Anguilla good policy proposals, or essential public or private initiatives, are not implemented or are delayed for a considerable period, while public officials spend what appears to be an inordinate amount of time identifying every flaw in the proposed policy or initiative, without attempting to offer a meaningful solution. This serves no useful purpose but still appears to prevail, while the real goal of the policy or initiative is lost.

Good policy development, or the proper implementation of public or private initiatives, requires an examination of all available options to determine their potential benefits and burdens. However, to do this effectively one must consider what the policy or initiative is ultimately seeking to achieve. This involves identifying the intended beneficiaries and what will optimally serve the needs of the beneficiaries. Where burdens are identified, prudent practice requires that consideration be given to how those burdens can be overcome. The cost of overcoming those burdens must be measured against the benefits to be gained by the intended beneficiaries.

Today, in Anguilla, we can legitimately wonder whether these principles are considered when public officials make determinations on public policy development or the implementation of public or private initiatives. New tourism initiatives, quite rightly, receive the attention of various stakeholders in the tourism industry, not least among them being tourists themselves. In determining whether a tourism initiative should be favourably considered, who do we consider to be the primary beneficiaries to whom primary consideration must be given? Is it the foreign direct investor, the tourist, or the Anguillian? While public officials must consider the views, needs and desires of all stakeholders, which stakeholder is paramount?

While the willingness of foreign direct investors, and tourists, to contribute to the development of our island must always be appreciated, the views, needs and desires of Anguillians, whose only real option may be to make a life for themselves in Anguilla, must be paramount. Is this always the case when tourism-related developments are considered and, if it is, is it made apparent to the Anguillians? The visible assurance that Anguillians are first, in all public policy considerations, and when reviewing public and private initiatives, would go a long way towards allaying unwarranted fears and the consequential delays to policy development and the implementation of initiatives. Visible assurances can only be given through the words and actions of public officials. Elected and appointed pubic officials must strive to convey, through their words and actions, their intention to do right to Anguillians in all their deliberations and decisions. A huge step forward in achieving this will be made when public officials work with Anguillians to resolve issues pertaining to public and private initiatives rather than merely identifying potential obstacles.

Consideration must also be given to who is the primary beneficiary when considering the relationship between Anguilla and the United Kingdom. Anguilla’s relationship with the United Kingdom requires that the approval or acquiescence of the UK Government must be obtained before certain public initiatives are approved and implemented. Does the UKG in determining whether an initiative should or should not be approved actively consider the intended beneficiaries of that initiative? This is a very real question in the context of the £60,000,000.00 grant provided to Anguilla by the UKG, in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. Is Anguilla receiving the full benefit of the grant? How much of the grant funds have been, or will be used, to compensate UK connected individuals or entities for services rendered? Are the decision-making processes, in relation to the release of funds, designed to ensure that the benefit of the grant funds is apparent and appreciated by the intended beneficiaries at the earliest opportunity? A very pertinent question is whether decisions are being made with a view to our schools returning to a state of normalcy in the shortest possible time?

Public officials, whether they are GoA or UKG officials, must recognise and be responsive to the views, needs and desires of intended beneficiaries in their decision-making processes. Until this becomes apparent suspicion, justified or unjustified, will prevail, resulting in unwarranted delays in the making of decisions and the implementation of essential initiatives.

With the majority of Anguillians embracing their only indigenous bank, the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla, with long lines extending to the door at times, the Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Michael Bird, says it is doing exceptionally well and is here to stay. That is a substantial part of the message he conveyed to the people of the island while responding to an interview by The Anguillian newspaper on Tuesday, February 26.
Well poised and confident, Mr. Bird said: “We are here to stay and to serve the community. Our committed employees understand that at the end of the day the customers pay their salaries. That’s the key thing. Once we all understand that, it makes life a lot easier, but the key thing is that we are here to stay. We will put that ‘Here to Stay’ as one of our tag lines going forward.”
The interview began with Mr. Bird being asked about the position of the bank at this point in time. “Towards the end of April it will be three years since we were here,” he replied. “A lot of people said we wouldn’t exist for six months, twelve months, eighteen months, yet we are sitting now at three years. We have a solid part in the overall community. We have the majority market share of the banking business in Anguilla and the bank continues to grow each month. Over the last year our deposit base has grown significantly. We have surplus liquidity which is good, and from a customer perspective it is great news.

Surplus Liquidity For Investment/Lending
“Financially, we take a very prudent position in investing the depositors’ money because we always have to remember that the money belongs to the depositors and not the bank. We now have to invest that surplus liquidity, and are charged with investing it very prudently. Quite frankly, it is very difficult to find prudent investment and as safe as you can get it. We try to invest in EC dollars with some of the regional Governments, but we have very stringent criteria before we buy Treasury Bills with the depositors’ money.
“We have an investment house that helps us to invest in US dollars to get a return because, at the end of the day, we have to pay the depositors – in the case of EC dollars saving accounts – two percent. So we have to always try to either invest the money at more than two percent, or the preferable route is to lend it out. We are clearly trying to find good lending opportunities because we don’t want to end up with a lot of unpaid loans back in our books. That’s the difficult part: to take these deposits, convert them into prudent lending that can be repaid, and then pay back our depositors.

New Business & Customer Service
“We have made huge strides over the last three years and, as I said, we have a great staff helping us to meet, as best as we can, the customer experience we need. Some days, like any business, we have people who are out sick and, like this morning, the teller lines were like out to the door because we had two tellers absent which impacted everybody. We have just hired two new tellers to absorb some of the fair bit of new business from the closure of CIBC. This is good news for us and we appreciate all the new customers who came from CIBC – and those who came back to us.

“The lines are incredibly long and everybody demonstrates a lot of patience waiting for his or her turn to open accounts. We appreciate that and hopefully, as we go forward, we can improve the level of our customer service. That is one of the key things that banks have to offer because, by and large, every bank offers the same type of product. Interest rates can be slightly different, but it is all about the human touch and trying to satisfy the customer. That is what we are trying, and trying, to do so, hopefully, each day we will get a little better at it – but we are making progress.”

Financial Statements
The NCBA Chief Executive Officer continued: “One of the things you hear on the street a lot is the whole issue of the bank not providing financial statements. Yes, true. But there is good reason. I have heard that the Government, our shareholder, is holding back these statements. Rubbish. That is totally untrue. We have our auditors, Deloite & Touche out of Barbados – and they have most of the audit work done. We are just waiting for the final part of the Resolution [of the banking issue] to be completed. What that entails is that when the bank was originally created and opened for business in April 2016, all the deposits came over to us, and the objective was to add assets to balance the Balance Sheet. You get what is called the good loan portfolio, but it was found, at the time, that there were insufficient good assets to balance the deposit liabilities – so we are going to take on some non-performing loans from the Receivership to bring them back into the bank, and we are right now going through that process. We hope to have that done sometime in March.

“Once that is done, we will have a Balance Sheet; our auditors will come in to complete their audit; and then we will issue the statements. One of the things, too, we have to try to manage, as best as we can, is the level of provisions that we had to take against these non-performing loans and to bring that level as low as possible. We are trying, in the first set of statements, to clean things up as best as we can and then it will be easier to go forward. So, I think we are getting in good shape for moving ahead.”

Mr. Bird was delighted to report that in August or September last year, the Government of Anguilla, the sole shareholder of NCBA, had “injected twenty-two million US dollars to capitalize the bank, allowing us to operate as a true bank with liquidity.”

Corresponding Banking
He touched on a much-talked about matter as follows: “Another important thing is the whole issue of corresponding banking. We have some regional corresponding banks but the real key ones are those in Europe through which we channel all of our business – whether into Europe, Asia or the United States. One of the things disadvantaging us, as an institution, is that when you are dealing with Europe, by 9.30 or 10 o’clock they are shutting down – so when customers [of NCBA] do a wire transfer at 10 o’clock, it is going to go out the next day. If they came in earlier, the chance of getting into the United States the same day is very good.

“We are working with one of the corresponding banks in London to extend that timeframe. It doesn’t only affect us. There are several banks in the region that use them so we are all affected by the restriction of the time zones in Europe to allow a same-day delivery. I think we are getting close to having them extend their hours of business. That would definitely help us to be a lot more competitive.

“We continue to work to get an actual US corresponding bank. We have actually hired, along with about five other regional banks, a person in the US to source a corresponding bank but, at the end of the day, we are all so small – and the cost for a US bank to do corresponding banking with us is large, and does not give them sufficient profit so it is difficult. We are in discussions with one right now and, hopefully, it will come to fruition over the next month or two. If that happens, we are a hundred percent back in the business including the clearing of US cheques.

“I think if we can resolve the corresponding banking issue we will be on an even footing with everybody; but, nonetheless, using Crown Agents out of London, if the transaction is done early, it will get into the United States the same day but most of the time I think we are on a reasonably good footing, but getting a US corresponding bank would really help us.” In addition to Crown Agents, Mr. Bird disclosed that NCBA’s other UK/Europe/Asia/US corresponding bank is the Royal Bank of Scotland (NatWest). “We use Crown Agents more on the US dollar side and we use NatWest more on the Euro and Sterling side,” he explained.

Extension of NCBA’S Bridge Bank Status
Asked about the coming end of the three years during which the Government of Anguilla undertook to own NCBA as its only shareholder, Mr. Bird stated that he was not in a position to comment on what steps the Government, preferably called the shareholder, would take thereafter – whether or not to divest. He, however, stated the following:
“The bank was created under what is called ‘a bridge bank’ status which had a life of three years. The Monetary Council [of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank], I think it was last year, decided and agreed that bridge bank statuses would not be for three years, but five years. So any bank that has a bridge bank status would be for a maximum term of five years. The Monetary Council has drafted legislation that is being passed throughout the OECS and, at some point it, will be done here in Anguilla as well. So that’s a positive.”

Conclusion
The interview with Mr. Bird ended, as it begun and progressed, with an assurance to the people of Anguilla that their own bank, NCBA, is here to stay; that having surplus liquidity, for investing, it is in a position to offer good lending opportunities to persons who will repay their loans; that it is prudent with safeguarding depositors’ money; that it is working towards having essential corresponding banks; that its great staff pays full attention to customer service and satisfaction; that it has made significant progress over the three years of its establishment; that it is doing exceptionally well; and, to repeat, it is here to stay.

Anguillian Debators with Mrs. Charmaine Rey Richardson (centre)

A team of six confidently-looking Anguillian debaters, drawn from the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, will be competing in the 47th Annual Leeward Islands Debating Competition this weekend in Antigua.
The Anguillian competitors are – Team I: Aaron Adams and Damarai Gumbs, coached by Mr. Dwayne Adams; Team 2: Samisha Connor and Aaivor Adams, coached by Mrs. Kristy Richardson; and Michelle Morancie and Alysha Carty, coached by Mrs. Vanessa Thompson.

Those accompanying the debaters include the Chief Staff Sponsor, and Deputy Principal, Mrs. Charmaine Rey-Richardson.

The schedule and the topics for the debates are as follows:
Debate 1: St. Maarten versus Montserrat: “Emphasis on environmental conservation retards the capacity of developing nations to compete in the global economy;”
Debate 2: St. Kitts versus Anguilla: “Regional Integration in the Caribbean is more of a theoretical concept than a practical reality;”

Debate 3: Winner of Debate 1 versus Antigua: “Dependence on tourism is stymieing the economic development of the Caribbean region;”
Debate 4: Winner of Debate 2 versus Nevis: “The lack of trust in our people is the main reason why the majority of CARICOM states are yet to adopt the Caribbean Court of Justice as their final Court of Appeal;”

Debate 5: Winner of Debate 3 versus Winner of Debate 4: “Caribbean countries have not done enough to afford the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) community the same legal rights and protections as other citizens.”

Chief Minister Victor Banks

If any sector in Anguilla has shown a rapid and uncontrolled increase in recent years, it is the supermarket business. But the Government has now moved to halt that proliferation before it backfires on the business community and customers. In short, the thinking is that it doesn’t make economic sense in a small-populated island.

The intention, according to Chief Minister, Mr. Victor Banks and Member for District 4, is to protect businesses in general, in Anguilla, without aiming at any particular person or group of persons. At the same time, also, it is to protect the interest of customers and the economy.
This has come with the presentation, debate and passage of a Bill for a Business Licence Moratorium Act 2019 on Wednesday, February 20, in the Anguilla House of Assembly where members on the Government’s side said the measure had come too late. It was rushed through the House to meet the March 1 deadline for the commencement of a year-long moratorium on the establishment of all further businesses in the supermarket sector.
Mr. Banks, who is also the Minister of Finance, Commerce and Industry, (not to mention Tourism, another sector of growth but not covered by the legislation), told the House of Assembly: “The Bill begins a process of review of the Trades, Businesses, Occupations and Professions Licencing Act that would be carried on during the period from March 1st, when this Bill will come into being, until October 2019.”
Mr. Banks continued: “We have been looking at the proliferation of supermarkets, and we felt that the time has come to take a close look at that proliferation and ensure that we do something to review it and make sure that certain interests in Anguilla were protected in moving this forward. When you walk around Anguilla, Mr. Speaker, a lot of persons make statements that there are too many of this kind and that kind of supermarket. All the supermarkets in Anguilla are Anguillian supermarkets so, if we are to put a moratorium on supermarkets, it cannot be in a discriminatory manner based on place of origin. It has to be done across the board. So, as a consequence, this moratorium does not only apply to supermarkets owned by persons of a particular origin or ethnic background but all supermarkets.
“In doing so, this legislation covers any sector of business or industry that the Government feels needs to be looked at, or need a moratorium in place to ensure the protection of, first of all, its citizens -and in many cases the protection of the industry itself because sometimes we can overcrowd an industry with licensing a number of businesses and everybody suffers.
“The whole idea of taking this forward, as members would have pointed out, and I want to reiterate, is that [the Act] is not to simply and subjectively protect a particular business or particular ethnic group or person. It is to protect businesses in general. Businesses in Anguilla pop up simply because they see the other person [or business] doing well – they figure if I open a business I will do well too. If one business is serving a hundred customers it means that if a second business comes in it will serve a part of that hundred customers – but the customer base will not necessarily increase.”
Mr. Banks, who was speaking after the legislation had passed through committee stage and just before its approval, added: “The other important point that was made is that in the proliferation of businesses, those that are successful are successful because they have the support of the Anguillian community…Even as we try to provide some support and protection to businesses in every sector, they should know as well that they have to provide an efficient and effective service to their customers.”

Minister Evans McNiel Rogers

During the debate, Mr. Evans Rogers, Member for District 3, was even more explicit in his comments. He stated: “Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that there is a lot of chatter throughout Anguilla with respect to Chinese, other Asian and Arab businesses and so forth; and comparisons are made with respect to the indigenous Anguillian businesses that have existed over a period of time. One would have to be very cognizant of the definition of an Anguillian or a non-Belonger. One of the reasons I am supporting this Bill is because it is absolutely clear that is for a moratorium on a particular sector. We have to be honest with ourselves, Mr. Speaker. When you look around at the proliferation of the supermarket business, there is no doubt that the Chinese are here to stay. We can go on and discuss how they arrived here, how they got belongership and acquired Anguillian passports and citizenship, but they have it.
“I am saying to the general public, and I use myself as an example. I was a United States citizen and the only thing I couldn’t do was to run for the President of the United States. I was entitled to everything else as a US citizen. The point I am making is that these individuals, even though they don’t look like us, they have their documents to prove that they are here legally. So if we were to put a moratorium on a particular sector, you cannot say you are putting a moratorium on Chinese businesses as a number of people approached me saying you have to stop the Chinese. When you explain to them that the Chinese have an Anguillian Passport and a European Passport, just like I have, it is then a different conversation.
“The majority of those Chinese are naturalized Anguillians, just like I was a naturalized United States citizen. The place of birth cannot, and will never, change but at the end of the day you have a legitimized document of naturalization, so they [the Chinese] are Anguillians even though they don’t look physically like us.”
Mr. Rogers said further: “Mr. Speaker, the land they are occupying or purchased is here in Anguilla with us – and for the most part, either directly or indirectly, they would have purchased the property from local Anguillians … Some of the individuals on the various talk shows are bashing the Chinese but are the first ones that are supporting the Chinese…There is not enough Chinese in Anguilla to support a Chinese business and to make it successful. In other words, I don’t know if I should use the word hypocritical, but we are the ones who are supporting them, and those Chinese have legitimately acquired citizenship of our beloved Anguilla.”
Earlier, Mr. Curtis Richardson, Member for District 6, also registered his support for the moratorium legislation. He said in part: “I happy to support this because there are some businesses in Anguilla, even though their doors are open, they are feeling the pinch; and need not have any more competition for the money circulating in Anguilla…This concept needs to be extrapolated in every single business in Anguilla. I have already seen in the not-too-distant future that we will have to bring a moratorium in certain communities. For example, that there will be no more bars in The Valley area and there will be no more beach bars in Sandy Ground. We will have to put our brain in gear and make policies to affect our way of life in Anguilla.”
Speaking specifically about the legislation, Mr. Richardson added: “This is a very late Bill…but it is better to be late than never, and this is almost never because the pain out there in the business community in Anguilla is excruciating. There are a lot of people, out of shame and face value, still operating their businesses in Anguilla…It pains me, when I go to certain establishments, to see how they are undermined because we, who suppose to be the keepers of the watch, have been extremely careless. But in sounding that note, Mr. Speaker, there is still some caution that must be exercised. There are some people in Anguilla who came here in the early 70s, who don’t look like Anguillians, but they suffered with us. They made the journey through hardship with us; they paid the price and time to establish their businesses.
“The people I am getting at are the ‘fly-by nighters’ – those who see the opportunity now after we have labored and toiled to give Anguilla a name, and to make it a place fit for human habitation. But I am cautioning that there are people who don’t look like us, and are of different ethnicities, breeds and class, but they have paid the price to have the right to do business in Anguilla because they came at a time when nothing was going on here…This Bill is late but I am glad it is here.”
Newcomer to the Anguilla House of Assembly and First Nominated Member, Mr. Jose Vanterpool, took the opportunity of the moratorium legislation to make his debut in the debate in the House. “I rise to support this Bill as it aims to strengthen and modernize legislation that is already in place,” he stated. “This Bill is important as it will ultimately lead to the protection of local businesses in sectors that are currently being saturated.
“I would like to thank the Honourable Chief Minister for clarifying that business licenses may continue to be granted during the year-long period of the moratorium – by the discretion of the Minister – allowing for business as usual in other sectors and those being focused on.
“The public sector consultation that will take place will highlight a lot of the weaknesses in the current legislation that we follow. This is why the moratorium being put in place is critical, and we need to do it as soon as possible. This is to ensure that we avoid exploitation of the very same legislation we aim to strengthen during the period that the Trades Businesses, Occupations and Professions Licensing Act is under review. Once again, Honourable Speaker, I want to affirm my support of the Bill.”
Ministerial Assistant and Member for District 5, Mrs. Evalie Bradley, said: “I wish to join my colleagues in supporting the passage of this Bill. As it says, it seeks to impose a moratorium on the issuance of licences under the Trades, Businesses, Occupations and Professions Licencing Act to carry on any trade, business or profession, and to give discretion to the policy reasons in the meantime to the Permanent Secretary after consultation with the Ministry of Finance.”
Mrs. Bradley, who said the legislation was long in coming, was of the view that the Government had a right to ensure some form of protection for indigenous businesses; and that it provided an opportunity for Government to review the licencing of businesses under the parent Act.
Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Cardigan Connor, District 7, said that the Bill, although late, “was something we will take and run with”. He stressed, among other things, that it did not make economic sense to swamp the business market. “It is a case of understanding how it really works,” he went on. “As Government, it is expected of us to lay the foundation – but our people have to work on that foundation. I am hoping that with the passing of this Bill our people will be drawn a lot closer together, and that it is us as people who make it work.”
The Bill for the Business Licences Act 2019 was passed in the absence of three other Members of the House who were off island at the time. They were the Minister of Home Affairs, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge, District 2; Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Palmavon Webster, District 1; and Second Nominated Member, Mr. Paul Harrigan.
The Chief Minister thanked the Leader of the Opposition for appreciating the urgency of the legislation, and understanding that the House would proceed with it in her absence. He said she had ample time to look at the Bill before it was presented in the House, having been given its first reading the previous week.