Over the past several weeks, a number of political parties and candidates have come forward, declaring their interest in contesting the general election constitutional due by March next year.

Hon. Victor Banks and CM Osbourne Fleming on Anguilla Day

Aside from a few persons, whose names have been rumoured around as being independent candidates, the parties, which began some early campaigning, are the Anguilla United Movement (AUM) led by veteran politician and former Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, Elected Member for Road South; the reconstructed Anguilla Democratic Party (ADP) led by former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Leroy Rogers; and the Anguilla Peoples Party (APP) led by Brent Davis, formerly a top Civil Servant in the Ministry of Finance.

For all that time, mentioned above, there had been a general silence in the rank and file of the governing United Front Party (UFP) with the populace of the island wondering who among this political grouping would stand for re-election and whether some new candidates would be presented. The first indication of some movement within the party came in May when there was an announcement that certain leading members had met and that the UFP’s Convention was planned for July when the names of the candidates for the upcoming election would be announced.

Since then there has been a few public appearances by prospective UFP candidates when some information was given as to which members would not be contesting the election, they being Minister of Infrastructure, Kenneth Harrigan, District 1, Island Harbour and its environs, and Chief Minister, Osbourne Fleming, Member for District 2, East End/Sandy Hill. It was already known that Parliamentary Secretary, Albert Hughes, Member for District 7, West End/Long Bay, was also retiring from the political arena.

Whatever silence remained was broken when, on Anguilla Day, June 2, Chief Minister Fleming, formally announced that he would no be standing in the general election which he said would be held “soon.” He went a step further to say that, like Moses of old, who passed the leadership of the Israelites to Joshua, he was handing over the leadership of the UFP to Minister of Finance, Victor Banks, Member for Valley South.
“I come to tell you that the job of building Anguilla must continue and to that end I stand fully supportive of passing the mantle to the Honourable Victor Banks,” he told his listeners. “And so the United Front Government [Party] will now be led by someone who is very much respected in the Caribbean. We in this Government have brought dignity to Anguilla, in the region and throughout the world. Let us not change that.

As reported in The Anguillian, Mr. Fleming continued: “I want to pay homage to the Honourable Kenneth Harrigan and the Honourable Abelto Hughes who have…recognised that they too must step aside and let the young people run the country. I salute you for a job well done and for your support during our time; and let us now, who have stepped aside, stand by to help the young recruits as they come aboard.” He said however that both Mr. Banks, and Evans Rogers, Minister of Social Development and Member for Valley North, would continue their political careers “to guide the ship.”

Mr. Banks, who was seated among the dignitaries at the Anguilla Day celebrations, made no comment when he presented awards to Mr. Fleming, Mr. Harrigan and Mr. Hughes, who were among 22 persons who received Medals of Honour and Queen's Certificates for their varied contributions to Anguilla over the years during, and since, the island’s revolution.

The three outgoing Elected Members are not expected to demit office until after the general election when Mr. Banks will lead the United Front Party with its new candidates to the polls, the outcome of which is anybody’s guess.

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

World News