A History of Anguilla’s House of Assembly – By Justice (Retd) Don Mitchell, CBE.

When the Anguilla Revolution broke out in March 1967, Anguilla was an integral part of the Associated State of St Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla.[1]  The legal system in effect at that moment was the common law of England and of the Associated State, as supplemented by the statutes enacted by the St Kitts, Nevis, and Anguilla House of Assembly.  It also shared the common institutions of the nine-country Associated States.  The laws and regulations that applied in Anguilla in 1967 could all be looked up in one series of books that were an essential part of every barrister’s and solicitor’s chambers.[2]

On 8 March 1967 Government House at Landsome Estate burned to the ground, and the St Kitts Warden fled to Basseterre.  30 May 1967 was the date of the expulsion of the St Kitts police officers stationed in Anguilla and is celebrated as a public holiday.  From that point on, all central government trappings in Anguilla ended.  In retaliation, Anguilla was excluded from participating in all regional government institutions, a ban that was lifted only in 1982, after St Kitts-Nevis went independent and Anguilla reverted to colonial administration.  Only a limited number of laws passed by the legislature in St Kitts after this date were ever applied to Anguilla again.[3]

On 31 May 1967, the Anguillians established a Peace-Keeping Committee to manage the island’s affairs.[4]  This Committee and its successor Councils carried out all the executive functions of government.  There was no immediate attempt to set up a rival legislature to the St Kitts House of Assembly.[5]  The situation was not to change until the British Parliament passed the Anguilla Act of 1971 and made provision for the British-appointed Commissioner to enact laws for the island.  The result was that no substantive laws were made in Anguilla between 1967 and 1971.  Between 1971 and 1976 laws were made by the Commissioner alone.  The first laws enacted by the House of Assembly of Anguilla had to wait for the year 1976.

The first legal instrument of a kind to be made in Anguilla after the Revolution was the referendum on secession from St Kitts of 11 July 1967.[6]  By this public act, Anguilla ceased, for all time, to be administered as a part of the Associated State.  A further step in legitimising the Revolution was the adoption of a Constitution.  The Peace-Keeping Committee recruited Professor Roger Fisher of Harvard University to help with its drafting.[7]  He produced an eleven-section Constitution.  This 1967 Roger Fisher Constitution provided for an Anguilla Council with full legislative and executive powers.  There were to be five (5) elected and two (2) nominated members.  The members of the First Anguilla Council were named in the Constitution.[8]  They were to hold office until elections were held not later than July 1968.  The Peace-keeping Committee enacted no laws.  They set about arranging the first general elections.

When nominations closed on nomination day, 17 October 1967, all five of Ronald Webster’s candidates stood unopposed.  They were declared to be duly elected councillors.[9]  They nominated two further members.[10]  They took their seats as the Second Anguilla Council on 21 October.  They were Anguilla’s second legislative assembly since the Revolution, but they enacted no laws.

The West Indies Act of the UK Parliament of 1967 stopped the UK government from imposing a solution to the Anguilla-St Kitts confrontation.[11]  The Act prohibited the UK from changing the status of any part of any Associated State without the request and consent of the State legislature.[12]

In early 1968, the British sent an adviser, Tony Lee, to assist the Anguillians in running the island’s affairs.  He was to remain for an interim period of one year.  During this time, the British attempted to negotiate a settlement between the Anguillian and St Kitts leaders that would preserve the integrity of the Associate State.  They failed in this endeavour.

On 30 July 1968, new elections were held for the Third Anguilla Council.  There were to be five (5) elected members and two (2) nominated.  In the event, the Constitution was ignored, and seven (7) members were elected.[13]  Tony Lee left Anguilla on 6 January 1969 when the year was up.  Up to this point, no laws had been passed in or for Anguilla since the date of the commencement of the Revolution.  There was now no British government presence in Anguilla.

In the perceived face of rejection of the Revolution by the British Government, the Anguilla Council prepared to hold a referendum on independence.  Jack Holcomb, a CIA agent with cover as a Florida police officer, and something of a conman, stationed at the time in Anguilla and advising the Council, came up with a new independence constitution. The 1969 Holcomb Constitution was duly approved by the Council and put to the people in Burrows Park on 6 February 1969.  It was adopted by a show of hands with 1,739 votes in favour of independence and 4 against.  The new Constitution provided for Anguilla to become an independent Republic.  There would be a President and a Vice President elected nationally.  There would also be an Assembly of nine (9) legislators, two (2) from each of four (4) constituencies and five (5) elected at large.

The date set for elections to the Assembly was 25 March 1969, while the President and Vice President were to be elected on 3 April.  When nominations closed on 21 February, Ronald Webster was nominated unopposed and was declared President of the Republic of Anguilla.[14]  On nomination day only six (6) candidates were nominated, and they were similarly declared elected unopposed.[15]

On 11 March 1969, the Anguillians expelled the British envoy, William Whitlock, who had arrived in Anguilla on a fact-finding mission.  During the early hours of 19 March 1969 some three hundred (300) British paratroopers plus twenty-two (22) Metropolitan Police Officers invaded Anguilla by sea and air.  They brought the Revolution to an end.  The election of National Representatives scheduled for 25 March never took place.  The invasion was not opposed, and not a person was harmed.  Tony Lee returned to govern the island as Commissioner under a British Order in Council of 18 March.[16]  The 1969 Holcomb Constitution was swept aside, and the previous Third Anguilla Council was recognised as the duly elected representatives of the people.

The seven-point 30 March 1969 Caradon Declaration agreed with the Anguilla Council, which established peace after the invasion, stated in part that,[17]

“The administration of the island shall be conducted by Her Majety’s representative in full consultation and cooperation with representatives of the people of Anguilla.  The members of the 1968 Council will be recognised as elected representatives of the people and will serve as members of a Council to be set up for the above purposes.  This Council may be expanded, if so desired by election or co-option.”

Shortly after, HM Commissioner John Cumber increased the Council to fourteen (14), allowing each elected person to nominate one additional person.[18]

With the change of a Labour to a Conservative government in London in 1971, the British administration gradually became more sympathetic to the Anguillian cause.  On 27 July 1971, the Anguilla Act of the British Parliament came into effect.[19]  It provided the framework under which the British would administer the island.  Shortly after, on 4 August, the 1971 Administration Order came into effect.[20]  It provided for a Legislative Council of seven (7) members and up to six (6) nominated members.  No legislation was enacted in Anguilla during the year 1971.

In early 1972, the first laws were enacted by the Commissioner under the provisions of the 1971 Administration Order.  There were twenty-six (26) in all, covering such matters as financial administration,[21] police,[22] council elections,[23] marriages,[24] courts,[25] and taxes.[26]  These laws were made by the Commissioner “after consultation with the Anguilla Council.”  They were not introduced into and debated in any legislative assembly in the normal way.  This was not a satisfactory situation, and this early period was marked by disputes between the members of the Anguilla Council and a succession of British Commissioners.[27]

The first general elections under the 1971 Administration Order were held on 24 July 1972.[28]  Ronald Webster’s People’s Progressive Party (PPE) won six (6) of the seven (7) seats, with Emile Gumbs, an independent, on the Opposition bench.  The Fourth Anguilla Council that resulted found itself completely without any power.[29]  Laws continued to be made by the Commissioner without reference to a legislative assembly.[30]  The situation remained unchanged during 1973, 1974, and 1975.  The Anguilla Council was continually unhappy with the arrangement that gave the Commissioner total power and control.  The result was a series of strikes and other civil unrest during the period of legislation by the Commissioner.

The turbulence was not to be calmed until the British agreed to constitutional reform.  The 1976 Anguilla Constitution was made on 19 January and came into effect on 10 February 1976.[31]  This provided, for the first time, for laws to be made by the Commissioner “with the advice and consent of the Assembly”.  Laws passed from this date were to be introduced into the Legislative Assembly and assented to by the Commissioner.  These are laws as properly so understood.  They were truly made with the consent of the representatives of the people.  The first such proper law to be made in Anguilla’s history by a legislative assembly turned out to be a humble and insignificant one, now long forgotten.  The Anguilla Fund and Financial Administration (Repeal) Ordinance, No 1 of 1976 did nothing more than bring back the old St Kitts Finance and Audit Ordinance of 1965 with such modifications as were necessary to bring it into conformity with the 1976 Constitution of Anguilla.  It was passed by the Legislative Assembly on 13 May 1976.  It commences with, what for a lawyer, are the magical words, “Enacted by the Legislature of Anguilla”.  Modern constitutional government had at last come to Anguilla.  On the same date, 10 February 1976, that the new Constitution came into effect, , Ronald Webster was sworn in as Anguilla’s first Chief Minister.

General elections under the 1976 Constitution were held on 15 March 1976.[32]  Mr Webster’s People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won six (6) of the seven (7) seats with Mr Hughes winning the Road South District running as an independent.[33]  Mr Webster was named Chief Minister, with Emile Gumbs, Idalia Gumbs, and Albena Lake-Hodge his three ministers.  Hubert Hughes was the lone representative sitting on the Opposition side of the House.  By early 1977 Mr Webster had lost the confidence of his ministers.  When, at a 1 February 1977 meeting of the Legislative Assembly, Opposition Member Mr Hughes introduced a motion of no confidence, only Mr Webster did not support it.[34]  The other Members of the House picked up their chairs and physically moved to the Opposition side of the House.  On the advice of Attorney-General, Reginald Wallace Lucie-Smith, the Commissioner revoked Mr Webster’s appointment.  Due to the short period that had passed since the previous elections, and because most Members of the Assembly now supported the appointment of Emile Gumbs, the Commissioner did not call new elections, but instead appointed Emile Gumbs to be the new Chief Minister.  This government lasted until the general elections of 28 May 1980 when Mr Webster and his supporters won six (6) of the seven (7) seats; only Emile Gumbs of the previous administration retained his seat and went into opposition.[35]  The first sitting of the Second Legislative Assembly was held on 27 June 1980.[36]

In February 1980, the St Kitts Labour Party administration of Premier Lee Moore was defeated at the polls by the People’s Action Movement.  The new premier, Dr Kennedy Simmonds, made it clear that his administration would put no obstacle in the way of change in Anguilla, and the Anguillians should be free to decide their own constitutional future.  The result was the British Parliament’s Anguilla Act 1980 which empowered Her Majesty to separate Anguilla from the State on a day appointed by Order in Council.  The Anguilla (Appointed Day) Order duly appointed 19 December 1980 as the day on which Anguilla ceased to be a part of the territory of the Associated State of St Christopher, Nevis, and Anguilla.  That date is now celebrated as a public holiday in Anguilla.

Mr Webster’s government of May 1980 lasted for barely a year before internal dissension brought it down.  During this short time, Mr Webster managed to introduce into law some of the most important social welfare reforms in the history of the Anguilla legislature: the Social Security Act, the Labour Department Act, and the Fair Labour Standards Act.  After a short period of political instability, he advised the Commissioner to dissolve the Assembly and to hold general elections early on 22 June 1981.  Mr Webster joined the Anguilla United Movement (AUM) of Mr Hughes and won his seat.  He had the support of five of the newly elected representatives.[37]  Emile Gumbs was the sole member of the Opposition.  The Commissioner asked Mr Webster to form the new government.  He named Hubert Hughes Deputy Chief Minister and Minister of Social Services.  The First Meeting of the First Session of the Third Legislative Assembly took place on 7 July 1981, and began with an address by HE The Commissioner, Charles Godden.[38]

One of the objectives of the new Government was to negotiate with the British Government for constitutional advance.  Mr Webster was particularly concerned to ensure that the Constitution said that in the event of another vote of no confidence the Commissioner could not appoint a new Chief Minister but must call general elections.

The possibility of constitutional advance was limited in view of the position of the British Government that if an overseas territory aspired to greater autonomy, it must call for independence and set a timetable.  It was made clear that Associated Statehood was out of the question, and that any aspiration to such a status would be considered only in the framework of a call for independence.

There was no public consultation on revising the 1976 Constitution.  The 1982 Anguilla Constitution came into effect on 1 April 1982 only days after it was first seen by the public.  It is Anguilla’s sixth modern Constitution.  By one view, it contains only minor changes to the 1976 Constitution.  Others criticize it as the abandonment of full internal self-government and a craven submission, without consultation with the Anguillian public, to naked colonial administration.  The position of Commissioner was renamed “Governor” and the Legislative Assembly now became the “House of Assembly”.  Additionally, the Commissioner (Governor) ceased to act as the Speaker, who was now chosen by the House.

The 1982 Constitution left the Governor’s reserved powers virtually intact, though he was now required to consult the Chief Minster on matters relating to internal security and the Public Service.  The Governor also had reserve power to legislate and to administer in case public order broke down and a state of emergency existed.

General elections were called for 9 March 1984.  The opposition ANA party of Emile Gumbs won 53.8% of the vote to the APP of Mr Webster which took 41.7%.[39]  Mr Webster lost his seat and was not to be re-elected again.  Mr Gumbs was sworn in as Chief Minister on 12 March.  The first meeting of the Fourth House of Assembly took place on 23 March.[40]

In line with local demands for increased autonomy, and after the new 1982 Constitution had been working for only three years, on 2 August 1985 the House of Assembly passed a motion for the Governor to set up a Constitution Review Committee.  This Committee was appointed by the Governor in October 1985.[41]

General Elections took place on 27 February 1989.[42]  It was contested by the Anguilla United Party (AUP) of Hubert Hughes, the Anguilla National Alliance (ANA) of Emile Gumbs, and the Anguilla Democratic Party (ADP) of Victor Banks.  Osborne Fleming ran as an independent but joined with the ANA to form the new government.  Emile Gumbs was sworn in and continued as Chief Minister.  The First Meeting of the Fifth House of Assembly took place on 4 April 1989.[43]  On 18-19 February 1994, there was a Royal Visit to the island led by Queen Elizabeth II, who knighted Emile Gumbs in a well-attended public ceremony in the Webster Park.

The result of the work of the 1985 Constitution Review Committee was the Anguilla Constitution (Amendment) Order 1990.  Amendments included new provisions for the creation of the office of Leader of the Opposition, power for the Governor to appoint a Parliamentary Secretary from elected or nominated members, and alteration of the definition of Belonger Status.  By practice, the First Nominated Member was appointed the Parliamentary Secretary and the Second Nominated Member as Deputy Speaker.

Hoping to gain a boost for his party from the 18 February Royal Visit, Sir Emile Gumbs advised the Governor to dissolve the Assembly on 29 February 1994 and called general elections for 16 March.  Sir Emile announced his retirement from active politics for health reasons and was succeeded as his party’s candidate for District 5, Sandy Ground and North Hill by his cousin, David Carty, who however was not successful.[44]  The loss of the Road North constituency to Edison Baird of the Anguilla Democratic Party (ADP) gave Hubert Hughes of the AUM the opportunity to form a coalition government, with the Anguilla National Alliance (ANA) going into opposition.  He was sworn into office on 18 March.  The first meeting of the Sixth House of Assembly took place on 15 April 1994.[45]

As Timothy Hodge described it in his 2002 address earlier referenced,[46] following the 1994 Elections, there was considerable controversy over the appointment of Nominated Members.  The Governor objected to the Chief Minister’s choice of Reverend John Gumbs as First Nominated Member on the grounds that the Constitution prevented Ministers of Religion from serving in the House of Assembly.  In response, Chief Minister Hubert Hughes objected to the Governor’s appointment of David Carty as Second Nominated Member on the grounds that the Governor had not consulted with him on the appointment as required by the Constitution.  Eventually Rev Gumbs was appointed and took up his seat in the House and assumed responsibility as Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment.  The Speaker, in deference to the Chief Minister, refused to swear in David Carty as Second Nominated Member.  Mr Carty took the matter to the High Court which declared that while he had been properly appointed, the Court could not force the Speaker to swear him in.  Accordingly, the Speaker declined to follow the declaration of the court and the House met for the full term without the presence of a Second Nominated Member.

On 12 February 1999, the House of Assembly was dissolved and Chief Minister Hubert Hughes called general elections for 4 March.[47]  Three parties contested the elections.  They were the ANA of Osborne Fleming, the ADP of Victor Banks, and the AUP of Hubert Hughes.  The ruling coalition campaigned on its record of economic achievement.  The result was a victory for the AUP and the ADP, each winning two seats.  The opposition ANA won three seats.

The first meeting of the Seventh House of Assembly took place on 29 March 1999.[48]  The coalition government lost its majority in May 1999 upon the resignation of Victor Banks the Finance Minister and leader of the ADP, who joined ANA on the Opposition bench.  Mr Hughes was left with the support of just three (3) of the seven (7) elected representatives.  He remained in office as Chief Minister, but an Opposition boycott of the House of Assembly initiated in June 1999, prevented further meetings of the House of Assembly from convening because of a lack of a quorum.  Consequently, no budget could be passed for 2000.  Mr Hughes took the Speaker, Leroy Rogers, to court to get the House activated, but after citing the lack of a quorum the court ruled in favour of the Speaker.  After holding office for just ten (10) months, Chief Minister Hubert Hughes called for fresh elections in March 2000.

The general elections for the Eighth House of Assembly were held four years early on 3 March 2000.  Eighteen (18) candidates were nominated for the seven seats at stake in the election.  The ANA led by Osborne Fleming nominated three (3) candidates; the ADP led by Victor Banks named one (1); ex-Chief Minister Hubert Hughes of the AUM named two (2); the new Movement for Grassroots Democracy (MGDR) led by John Benjamin nominated two (2) and the Anguilla Patriotic Movement (APM) named two (2) candidates.  There were also eight (8) independent candidates contesting the elections.  The Anguilla United Front (AUF), a grouping of opposition forces of ANA and the ADP, scored a narrow win, winning four (4) of the seven (7) seats.  The outgoing Chief Minister Hubert Hughes’s AUM retained its two (2) seats, and the seventh went to the independent Edison Baird.[49]  The same representatives were returned, but a new government was formed by the AUF.  Osborne Fleming was sworn in as Chief Minister on 6 March 2000.[50]  Hubert Hughes was appointed Leader of the Opposition.  In May 2004, Albert Hughes resigned from the AUM.  Leadership of the Opposition passed from Hubert Hughes (leader of the AUM) to Edison Baird, leader of the Anguilla Strategic Alliance (ANSA).

General elections were called for 21 February 2005.[51]  The three major parties contesting the elections were the AUF, the AUM, and ANSA.  The ruling AUF was returned to office, winning four (4) of the seven (7) seats.  All six (6) incumbents who sought re-election kept their seats in the election.  The only change took place in Valley North where the previous representative, Eric Reid, stood down and was succeeded by Evans McNiel Rogers.  Osborne Fleming was again sworn in as Chief Minister on 22 February 2005.[52]  Following the election, Albert Hughes left ANSA and joined the AUF government.  This meant that the opposition’s two (2) seats were evenly split between the ANSA and the AUM.  As the opposition could not agree on who would be Leader of the Opposition, the Governor was unable to appoint one.

On 6 January 2010, the Ninth House of Assembly was dissolved, and general elections set for 15 February 2010.  In 2009, the year before the election, Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming who was the leader of ruling AUF,  announced that he would not stand for re-election in the 2010 race.  Two other members of the AUF also announced their intention to retire; Parliamentary Secretary, Albert Hughes and the Communications and Works Minister, Kenneth Harrigan.  Finance Minister Victor Banks succeeded Fleming as the leader of the AUF coalition.

Twenty (20) candidates registered to contest the seven (7) seats in the election for the Tenth House of Assembly.[53]  The AUF fielded candidates in all seven (7) constituencies.  The opposition AUM contested five (5).  The opposition APP also had candidates in five (5) of the seven (7) races.  Three (3) independents also ran.  The result was that the incumbent AUF was defeated, and former Chief Minister Hubert Hughes was sworn in to succeed Fleming on 16 February 2010.[54]  Directly after the election, Victor Banks announced his retirement from politics and took his pension and gratuity.  Jerome Roberts, the sole winning candidate of the APP joined the AUM as a cabinet minister.  Relations between the ministers was not cordial, with Chief Minister Hubert Hughes eventually advising the Governor to remove the portfolios of Edison Baird.

The Tenth House of Assembly was dissolved on 25 February 2015 and Mr Hughes called for general elections on 22 April.  Edison Baird announced his resignation from active politics, while Victor Banks returned to politics.  Mr Hughes also retired from active politics, and his son Haydn Hughes unsuccessfully contested his seat for the AUM.  The AUM was not successful, with all seats, except for District 1 which was won by independent candidate Palmavon Webster, going to the AUF.[55]  Victor Banks was sworn in as Chief Minister.  Palmavon Webster was sworn in as Leader of the Opposition in the Eleventh House of Assembly.[56]

Ms Webster’s term as Leader of the Opposition is noteworthy as being the first time in the history of the House that the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was activated.  With assistance from the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), members of the House were trained in the functions of the PAC, and in 2019 it published two detailed and revealing Reports on the mismanagement in past years of the public accounts.[57]

The first meeting of the Eleventh House of Assembly took place on 15 May 2015.  The administration was buffeted by the collapse of the two indigenous banks, by Hurricane Irma which caused extensive damage to infrastructure, and by the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in the collapse of the tourist industry and massive loss of jobs.  Much public dissatisfaction was stirred up in the last year of the administration by what was publicly perceived as a cynical abuse of the constitutional reform process by the outgoing administration.  This succeeded in getting the collaboration of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in signing on 14 April 2019, an Order in Council of the Privy Council amending and replacing some sections of the existing 1982 Constitution.[58]  The aim of the administration was to introduce one or two of the recommended reforms, together with some other changes that were not recommended, in the hope that they would sway the minds of the voters.[59]  This effort had no public support and caused widespread dismay among the electorate.

General elections took place on 29 June 2020, late due to the Covid-19 pandemic.[60]  Hubert Hughes retired from politics and did not contest his seat, passing leadership of the AUM, rebranded to the Anguilla Progressive Movement (APM) to Dr Ellis Lorenzo Webster.  The governing AUF lost its majority, with Victor Banks losing his seat and retiring from active politics for the second time.  Dr Webster was sworn in as Premier of a new APM administration.  The first meeting of the Twelfth House of Assembly took place on 17 July.[61]  The next elections are not constitutionally due until the year 2025.

Written, with assistance from the detailed notes kept by Ms Eusvon Brooks of the House of Assembly staff, for inclusion in the commemorative magazine celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Anguilla House of Assembly on 30th April 2021 under the theme, “Shaping our Future: Growing Together.”

[1]     The Saint Christopher Nevis and Anguilla Constitution Order in Council, SI 1967 No 228.

[2]     The 1964 Edition of the Revised Laws of St Christopher Nevis and Anguilla had just been published in 1967. The laws and regulations of Anguilla would not be collected in one spot again until the publication of the Revised Edition of the Laws of Anguilla, 2000.

[3]     The Anguilla (Administration) Order 1971, SI 1971 No 1235, section 15, provided that the statutes of the Associated State made prior to its commencement date of 4 August 1971 should have effect as laws of Anguilla.  From that date, any relevant and useful laws made in St Kitts after the date of the Revolution and prior to the commencement date were adopted with any necessary modifications as part of the law of Anguilla.  The earlier ones that were not required were specifically repealed at various times in the following years.

[4]     The first members of the Peacekeeping Committee of 31 May 1967 were Walter Hodge as chairman, Peter Adams, Atlin Harrigan, Alfred Webster, James Baird, John “Bob” Rogers, Clifford Rogers, Ronald Webster, Wallace Rey, Camile Connor, Phillip Lloyd, Charles Fleming, Wallace Richardson, Mac Connor, and Emile Gumbs.

[5]     The members of the Committee were convinced that any laws passed by such a legislature would be illegal and unenforceable.  They functioned by persuasion, so that, for example, the customs officers at the ports agreed to collect duties at the revised rate of one half of the prescribed amounts.  The result was that there was no attempt to amend the customs duties law or any other law during the time of the Republic and until the Anguilla (Administration) Order of 1971 made provision for the Commissioner to make laws for Anguilla:  Per Ronald Webster in a private communication with the author.

[6]     Passed 1,813 to 5 in favour of secession.

[7]     Professor Fisher’s involvement grew out of his connection with Professor Leopold Kohr (1909-2004) who at the time was a lecturer at the University of Puerto Rico and who started a ‘state founding action’ to draw the world’s attention to the Anguilla crisis.

[8]     They were Rev Leonard Carty, Ronald Webster, John Rogers, Peter Adams, Walter Hodge, Emile Gumbs, and John Hodge.  This was Anguilla’s first legislative assembly since the Revolution.

[9]     Those elected unopposed on 17 October 1967 were Ronald Webster, Wallace Rey, Hugo Rey, Collins Hodge, and John Waddington ‘Waddie” Hodge.

[10]    These were Campbell Fleming and John Rogers.

[11]    The West Indies Act, 1967, 1967 c. 4.

[12]    Both the 1969 invasion of Anguilla and the 1982 reversion of Anguilla to colonial rule derived their legality under the West Indies Act because they occurred at the invitation of the St Kitts central government.

[13]    Those elected on 30 July 1968 were Ronald Webster, Atlin Harrigan, Kenneth Hazel, Collins Hodge, John Hodge, Wallace Rey, and Emile Gumbs.  In addition to their executive functions, they constituted Anguilla’s third legislative Assembly since the Revolution.  But they enacted no laws.

[14]    He chose as his Vice President Campbell Fleming.  His Cabinet was to include John Webster, a former Secretary of Defence, as Secretary of State for Domestic Affairs, while Jeremiah Gumbs was Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

[15]    The six (6) nominees elected unopposed on 21 February 1969 were Winston Harrigan, Lucas Wilson, Uriel Sasso, James Woods, Charles Fleming, and Mac Connor.  They constituted Anguilla’s fourth Assembly since the Revolution.  They passed no laws.

[16]    The Anguilla (Temporary Provision) Order 1969, SI 1969 No 371.

[17]    Taken from the text of an address by Timothy A Hodge to the Anguilla Constitutional and Electoral Forum on 27 August 2002 and titled Nominated Members: To Be or Not to Be, That Is the Question!

[18]    Those nominated were Russell Webster, Reuben Hodge, James Woods, Winston Harrigan, Hugo Rey, Camille Connor, and Samuel Fleming.

[19]    The Anguilla Act 1971, 1971 c. 63.

[20]    The Anguilla (Administration) Order, 1971, SI 1971 No 1235.

[21]    The Anguilla Fund and Financial Administration Ordinance, No 1 of 1972.

[22]    The Anguilla Police Ordinance, No 3 of 1972.

[23]    The Anguilla Council Elections Ordinance, No 4 of 1972.

[24]    The Marriage Validation Ordinance, No 8 of 1972.

[25]    The Court of Appeal (Special Provisions) Ordinance, No 10 of 1972; and the Supreme Court (Amendment) Ordinance, No 26 of 1972.

[26]    The Rum Duty (Anguilla) (Amendment) Ordinance, No 13 of 1972; Boat Licensing (Amendment) Ordinance, No 14 of 1972; Liquor Licensing (Amendment) Ordinance, No 15 of 1972; Export Duty (Amendment) Ordinance, No 16 of 1972; Stamp Act (Amendment) Ordinance, No 18 of 1972; Vehicles and Road Traffic (Amendment) Ordinance, No 19 of 1972; Firearms (Amendment) Ordinance, No 20 of 1972; Public Pounds (Amendment) Ordinance, No 21 of 1972; Anguilla Airport (Embarkation) Tax Ordinance, No 24 of 1972.

[27]    First Tony Lee, who had to be replaced, then John Cumber, AC Watson, William Wallace, and later still in David Le Breton, who remained in place until after the 1976 Constitution came into effect.

[28]    Elected on 24 July 1972 were Ronald Webster (PPP), Evans Harrigan (PPP), Reuben Hodge (PPP), Wallace Rey (PPP), Emile Gumbs (I), Camile Connor (PPP) and John Hodge (PPP).  Idalia Gumbs (PPP) was the sole Nominated Member.

[29]    Anguilla’s fifth Assembly since the Revolution if one includes, as one should, the fourth short-lived abortive Republican one set aside by Lord Caradon’s declaration of 1969 after the British Invasion.

[30]    There were eight such laws in all, including the Anguilla Roads Ordinance, No 5 of 1973; the Anguilla Local Constables Ordinance, No 6 of 1973; the Accommodation Tax Ordinance, No 7 of 1973; and the Telecommunication Ordinance, No 8 of 1973.

[31]    The Anguilla (Constitution) Order 1976, SI 1976 No 50.

[32]    Elected on 15 March 1976 to the first Legislative Assembly were Ronald Webster (PPP), Campbell Fleming (PPP), Idalia Gumbs (PPP), Albena Lake-Hodge (PPP), Emile Gumbs (PPP), Hubert Hughes (I), and John Hodge (PPP).  Nominated Members were Everett Romney and Clive Smith.  After the change of administration resulting from the 1977 vote of no confidence, Mr Romney was replaced by Atlin Harrigan.

[33]    Anguilla’s sixth Assembly since the Revolution.

[34]    The loss of confidence was mainly due to a dispute with the family of Russell Webster over the road giving access to the newly constructed Island Harbour Primary School.

[35]    Elected on 28 May 1980 to the second Legislative Assembly were Ronald Webster (AUM), Nashville Webster (AUM), Watkins Hodge (AUM), Claudius M Roberts (AUM), Emile Gumbs (ANA), Hubert Hughes (AUM), and Albert Hughes (AUM).  Those nominated were Euton Smith and Connell Harrigan.

[36]    Anguilla’s seventh Assembly since the Revolution.

[37]    Those elected on 22 June 1981 to the third Legislative Assembly were Nashville Webster (APP), Osborne Fleming (APP), Victor Banks (APP), Ronald Webster (APP), Emile Gumbs (ANA), Maurice Connor (APP), and John Hodge (APP).  The two Nominated Members were Euton Smith and Oneal Levons.

[38]    Anguilla’s eighth Assembly since the Revolution.

[39]    Elected on 9 March 1984 were Nashville Webster (ANA), Osborne Fleming (ANA), Eric Reid (ANA), Albena Lake-Hodge (ANA) (replaced on 6 December 1985 on her death by Victor Banks), Emile Gumbs (ANA), Hubert Hughes (AUM), and Albert Hughes (ANA).  Nominated Members were Clive Smith and John Rogers.

[40]    Anguilla’s ninth Assembly since the Revolution.

[41]    Its members were Attorney-General Richard Whitehead, Speaker Atlin Harrigan, Clement Daniels, Rev Leonard Carty, and Miriam Gumbs.

[42]    Elected on 27 February 1989 were Kenneth Harrigan (ANA), Osborne Fleming (ANA), Eric Reid (ANA), Victor Banks (ADP), Emile Gumbs (ANA), Hubert Hughes (AUP), and Albert Hughes (AUP).  Nominated Members were David Carty and Claudel Romney.

[43]    Anguilla’s tenth Assembly since the Revolution.

[44]    Elected in the 16 March 1994 elections were Kenneth Harrigan (ANA), Osborne Fleming (I), Eric Reid (ANA), Victor Banks (ADP), Edison Baird (ADP), Hubert Hughes (AUP), and Albert Hughes (AUP).  Nominated were Rev John Gumbs and David Carty (who never took his seat due to the refusal of the Speaker to swear him in).

[45]    Anguilla’s eleventh Assembly since the Revolution.

[46]    See footnote 17.

[47]    Elected on 4 March 1999 were Kenneth Harrigan (ANA), Osborne Fleming (ANA), Eric Reid (ANA), Victor Banks (ADP), Edison Baird (ADP), Hubert Hughes (AUP), and Albert Hughes (AUP).  Nominated were Walcott Richardson and Claudel Romney.

[48]    Anguilla’s twelfth Assembly since the Revolution.

[49]    Anguilla’s thirteenth Assembly since the Revolution.

[50]    Elected on 3 March 2000 were Kenneth Harrigan (ANA), Osborne Fleming (ANA), Eric Reid (ANA), Victor Banks (ADP), Edison Baird (ADP), Hubert Hughes (AUM), and Albert Hughes (AUM).  Nominated Members were Samuel Connor and Claudel Romney.  Samuel Connor was appointed Parliamentary Secretary.

[51] Anguilla’s fourteenth Assembly since the Revolution.

[52]    Elected on 21 February 2005 were Kenneth Harrigan (AUF), Osborne Fleming (AUF), Evans McNiel Rogers (AUF), Victor Banks (AUF), Edison Baird (ANSA), Hubert Hughes (AUM), and Albert Hughes (ANSA).  Nominated Member were Donna Banks and Keesha Webster.  Albert Hughes was appointed Parliamentary Secretary.

[53]    Anguilla’s fifteenth Assembly since the Revolution.

[54]    Elected on 15 February 2010 were Othlyn Vanterpool (AUF), Jerome Roberts (APP), Evans McNiel Rogers (AUF), Evan Gumbs (AUM), Edison Baird (AUM), Hubert Hughes (AUM), and Walcott Richardson (AUM).  Nominated Members were Haydn Hughes (Parliamentary Secretary) and Leroy Rogers (Deputy Speaker).  Barbara Webster-Bourne was elected Speaker.

[55]    Elected on 24 February 2015 were Palmavon Webster (I), Cora Richardson-Hodge (AUF), Evans McNiel Rogers (AUF), Victor Banks (AUF), Evalie Bradley (AUF), Curtis Richardson (AUF), and Cardigan Connor (AUF).  Nominated were Paul Harrigan and Terry Harrigan (replaced by Jose Vanterpool when he became speaker on the sudden illness of Leroy Rogers).

[56]    In what was Anguilla’s fifteenth Assembly since the Revolution.

[57]    These were “The Medium to Long Term Financial Sustainability of Social Security Arrangements,” and “The Government’s Financial Standing and Obligations,” both published by authority of the House on 31 November 2019.

[58]    The Anguilla Constitution (Amendment) Order in Council, 2019 No 852, of 14 April 2019.  A second, unannounced Order in Council, the Anguilla Constitution (Amendment) Order in Council, 2019 No 1461 was signed in London on 6 November 2019 amending section 80(2)(d) to restore the qualification that to be an Anguillian, if one was not born in Anguilla, one was required to be a British Overseas Territories Citizen.  This Order in Council is offensive to most Anguillians given that both the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission and the later Committee recommended the removal of this citizenship qualification, given the large numbers of persons locally considered Anguillians but who were foreign born and who are now legally disqualified.

[59]    The title “Chief Minister” was changed to “Premier”, the universally disliked term “Anguillian Belonger” was changed to “Anguillian”, the definition of who was an Anguillian was broadened to include foreign born grandchildren, the Nominated Members were abolished,  four (4) island-wide seats in the Assembly were introduced, the number of ministers was increased to five (5), the prohibition against ministers of religion and persons who were not British Overseas Citizens serving in the Assembly was abolished; and the number of terms a Premier could serve consecutively was limited to two (2).

[60]    Elected to the seven (7) local Districts were Ellis Lorenzo Webster (APM), Cora Richardson-Hodge (AUF), Evans McNiel Rogers (AUF), Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers (APM), Merrick Richardson (APM), Haydn Hughes (APM), and Cardigan Connor (AUF).  The four (4) island-wide seats were won by Kyle Hodge (APM), Kenneth Hodge (APM), Quincia Gumbs-Marie (APM), and Jose Vanterpool (AUF).

[61]    Anguilla’s seventeenth Assembly since the Revolution.