Anguilla (The Anguillian) – After more than twenty years, and several successive national Governments, the views of Anguillians are still being sought on a new, full and progressive Constitution – and we are lagging behind the other British Overseas Territories.
At present, we have an opportunity to have the above Constitution, and we must allow our voices to be heard during the town hall meetings now being held in the various districts by the Anguilla Progressive Movement Government.
It was only just before the 2020 general elections that the then Government, of the Anguilla United Front, succeeded in getting the UK Government to approve some selected amendments to the island’s 1982-old Constitution.
Those amendments included giving rights to Anguillian grandchildren, born abroad, to be regarded as citizens of Anguilla with such privileges as not having to apply for time to stay on the island and to own land. Another approved amendment was the creation of an island-wide voting system for four elected candidates in addition to the customary electoral system for seven district representatives. That island-wide voting process, as well as the provision for grandchildren, was ably led by the former Minister of Home Affairs and Constitutional Affairs, Mrs. Cora Richardson Hodge.
