THE VALLEY, Anguilla — Anguilla Chief Minister Hubert Hughes said that Britain’s approval of his December 2010 budget is a little too late and signaled his intention to seek independence for the British Overseas Territory.
“We lost out on so much revenue, we have lost out on the deal we had with the European Union, on the EDF 10 fiscal package, we have lost out on support from the Caribbean Development Bank because these institutions will not do business with Anguilla as long as Anguilla cannot produce a proper, credible budget,” Hughes told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC).
Governor Alistair Harrison said that the Queen, through the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, had assented to the island’s Appropriation Act, which contains the 2011 budget.
He gave no details of the amount contained in the budget, but Harrison also announced that he had approved the legislation introducing the interim Stabilization Levy; as well as amendments to the Customs surcharge and the Petroleum Levy passed earlier by the House of Assembly.
“These three measures constitute the new measures necessary to implement the budget settlement for 2011,” Harrison said.
The Chief Minister said that Britain’s action has underscored the need for his government to pursue independence.
“I feel very disillusioned and frustrated with British administration for Anguilla. My commitment now is to press on with my programme for self determination,” he added.
I love Anguilla, having served there in 69. I feel that Anguilla should cultivate friendship with the uk a country that could be a useful ally in times of hardship
wrong time don’t do it
What is your governor thinking? Take a look at Nigeria and see what a independent county without direction looks like.
This clown’s personal agenda is becoming utterly ridiculous, this is the absolute worst time to seek independence. Independence is something for much further down the road (ie: 15-20 years).
hubert tell freddi i say hello and he owe me
:Mr Hughes is crazy and is seeking self fulfillment, he does not have Anguillains at heart or he would not be stupidly pursuing independence at this time. Independence is for the future certainly not now.
wow…allu doh seeing otherrrrr ‘independent” countries…in this worldwide recession thattttttt u want to doooooo!?!?! think about that againnnnnnn!
ppl of Anguilla now is the time to make allu kids fasttttttttt before the deal gets done..so at least they will b british citiztens !
Yah….. after independence then what?????? You will be in worse %%$$##!!! Than now.
Good luck….either way it goes!! I really mean that!!
mr just want to be the first p.m of anguilla lol,,, seeking independence,,, don’t these guys look at those who have gone b4 them
WHAT LEADERSHIP IS THERE IN ANGUILLA? THE RULING PARTY IS STILL CAMPAIGNING, CRIPPLING POTENTIAL PROJECTS BECAUSE OF PERSONAL AND POLITICAL BIASES. DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?
PEOPLE ARE BEING KICKED OUT OF PROJECTS AND JOBS TO FIT IN FAMILY.
THIS WHOLE INDEPENDENCE THING IS MR. HUBERT’S PERSONAL VENDETTA WITH THE QUEEN.
Mr.Hughes, going to build a 2×4 to live on your own takes some struggle, but at the end it’s yours.
Nothing comes without a struggle.. go for it now. England suck too much of our blood in the Caribbean.
i feel going independence will be good for anguilla
anguilla will get help from the carricome countries to hell with england all they worry about is passport thats not all think about your future
I happen to live in Anguilla and I am aware that the existing global economic climate is bleak to put it mildly, and in light of this we might be dubious about making such a bold move to sever the preverbal colonial umbilical cord. However I also don’t see anything to be gained by staying. Anguilla has gained precious little from the UK or the European Union over the last 10-15 years of holding on to their skirt-tails and I see no optimistic prospects looming in the near future.
YEAH THEY MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN MUCH? BUT DO YOU THINK THAT THEY WOLD WANT TO GIVE UP THE BRITISH PASSPORTS WHICH ALLOWS THEM LIBERTY TO TRAVEL TO ANY AND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD? NOPE!
THE TOY POLICE OFFICERS IS NOT OF ANY HELP HERE AND IN THE EVEN THAT THERE IS A GREAT NEED FOR MILITARY HELP SCOTLAND YARD WILL BE THERE IN A JIFFY. THE FINANCIAL HELP MAY NOT BE ALL THAT, BUT THERE ARE OTHER BENEFITS THAT ANGUILLIANS WILL NOT WANT TO GIVE UP.
MR. HUGHES HAS BEEN DISRESPECTING THE QUEEN FROM YEARS GONE AND HE STILL CONTINUES TO DO SO THAT IS WHY THEY ARE GIVING HIM SUCH A HARD TIME. LOOKING FOR A WAY FOR HIS DOWNFALL.
Its about time. the next step i want the Eastern caribbean islands to take is to Remove the blasted Queen Face from our currency. this lady face only reminds me of colonization and oppression. There have been enough honorable men and women who have come from the caribbean whose faces would mean much more to the people of the Eastern Caribbean.
i have a good knowledge of anguilla. im of the opinion tha the man wants to have his place in the book of heroes and heroines of anguilla. maybe even wants to be ACHEIVE grater THING than de HON. RONALD WEBSTER.even ras b and iwandi have acheived more than him.
Mr. Hughes this is not the time.
really what he want us to go independent on…eggs…because the people dont pick salt anymore, the cotton trees are no more, and there isnt enough local produce hubert need to stop thinkin of himself and think of the people the same people he promised he would not put taxes on in order to get their vote, anguillians are now bearin more taxes than they could afford!
Timing appears a bit ‘off’.
It’s about time. The same goes for Montserrat.
Boy I don’t know what to say about that. If he think that is in the best interest of his coutry then by all means seek independence. But at a time when the world economy is in disarray I wish Anguilla the best on that front. Every western country is looking at pennies right now mr prime minister. So ride out the storm and don’t jump ship too fast. It will be rough but that’s how it is at times. But then again all of those problems could destroy your political career. That’s one jam I wouldn’t like to be in.
THIS IS WHAT MR HUGHES AND HIS SON WANTS. THIS IS NOT WHAT ANGUILLIANS WANT? WHAT DO THEY HAVE TO FALL BACK ON WHEN THERE IS NO HELP FROM BRITAIN? THE DAY HE PUSHES THIS FURTHER THERE WILL BE A COUP D’ETAT IN ANGUILLA TRUST ME. NO RIGHT THINKING PERSON IN ANGUILLA SUPPORTS THIS. INDEPENDENCE WHEN THE COUNTRY CAN STAND ON IT’S OWN TWO FEET, BUT NOT NOW. NOT WHEN YOU CANNOT PRESENT A PLAN FOR THE COUNTRY FOR AT LEAST THE NEXT TEN YEARS.