Executive Council

Press Briefings. On 20 April the government of the Cayman Islands gave a “post-cabinet press briefing”. It is an example to us in Anguilla how an Executive Council can involve the people in good governance issues. It is a matter of regret to many of us in Anguilla that government, despite recent efforts, continues to shield us from knowledge of the important issues they are tackling. How are we to respond when we find out only after the fact?

Here is what the Cayman Net News published on 23 April:

Cabinet Ministers demand say in key Government agencies
Monday, April 23, 2007

Elected members of Cabinet are insisting that they be involved in national security matters involving the Royal Cayman Islands Police Services, HM Customs and Immigration Department. Currently, these responsibilities fall under the Governor’s reserved powers in the Cayman Islands Constitution. . . Cabinet members . . . told last week’s post-Cabinet press briefing at the GIS they wanted a change in the status quo . . .

“This is just not right, we are the elected representatives, we are the people held accountable irrespective of what the Constitution says,” said Mr McLaughlin, stressing that it is his personal opinion on the matter . . . Mr McLaughlin said he was not prepared to support funding for the police if Cabinet did not form part of the discussions.

“It is fundamentally wrong and I have made it clear that I am not prepared to support funding or anything to do with the police if I am not apprised of the basis of that funding and if the elected Government is shut out of the discussions about it,” said Mr McLaughlin. “This is a constant battle and constant tension and we are seeking to have at least one elected member of the Cabinet part of these discussions.”

Mr McLaughlin warned that there could be a crisis if Cabinet is left out from discussions involving the three agencies. “From my perspective they are either going to involve the elected Government or they will have a crisis on their hands,” he said.

Is this not a refreshing change from how our Executive Council fails to publicise its difficult issues?

Of course, we in Anguilla are in complete control of our Customs and Immigration Departments. They fall under the Chief Minister’s portfolio. But, we have no local institution in charge of the Royal Anguilla Police Force. They are presently a law unto themselves. They are essentially unregulated. You cannot call having the Governor in charge a form of regulation. The Governor of Anguilla has repeatedly over the past decades abdicated all responsibility for ensuring standards in the police force. Only if we have a local agency, such as the Police Service Commission as recommended by the Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission in its report of 25 August 2006, in charge of the RAPF will there be any movement away from the present near-disastrous situation.

That’s not just my opinion, but the opinion of a majority of persons who made representations to the Commission. Would it not be wonderful if we really had regular press briefings like those given by the Cayman Executive Council? How much we would learn about the problems faced by our government! How much more support we could give them!