Public Relations

July 17, 2007

The Negotiating Team set up by the Government of Anguilla to discuss Anguilla’s future constitutional status with the British Government was in retreat today at Paradise Cove Resort. The Team is comprised of all elected members of the House of Assembly, The Hon. Attorney General, Mr. Don Mitchell, Dame Bernice Lake, Rev. Cecil Weekes, Mr. Brent Davis, Mrs. Joyce Kentish-Egan, Ms. Lolita Davis-Richardson, Rev. Clifton Niles and Mrs. Chanelle Petty-Barrett.

 

A team from the British Government is slated to arrive in Anguilla for three days of meetings commencing on Monday July 23, 2007.

 

The retreat’s objective was to solidify Anguilla’s positions for its first round of talks with British Officials.  This first round of talks is designed to ascertain the positions that both Governments will take on the advancement and modernization of Anguilla’s constitution.

 

In this vein, the negotiating team, based on comments from the public, has developed a negotiating stance premised on full internal self government for Anguilla, where all executive power lies in the Government of Anguilla.  In this scenario, the British Government would remain responsible for external defence and security.  The Government of Anguilla would also be responsible for making treaty agreements with regional governments.

 

The Government wishes to thank all the Team Members for their input and will ensure that public participation is paramount in this exercise.  A meeting slated for the House of Assembly this evening to discuss the future constitution was postponed in light of the fact that the Negotiating Team, as well as members of the public, felt that these matters should be discussed and debated at a formal sitting of the House of Assembly rather than a public information meeting.

 

In this regard the Government agreed to slate a special sitting of the House of Assembly with the Speaker to debate Anguilla’s new constitutional arrangement with Britain.