Nearly three weeks have passed since the elections. And, nothing has tickled my fancy or made me clench my teeth in dismay. I have nothing to report on, except that Sutcliffe Hodge filed his election petition against Evans McNiel Rogers’ election this morning. I am as relaxed as fresh road kill.
I hope everyone else is as laid-back and worry-free.
Hodge v Rogers
ReplyDeleteWere Mr. Hodge to prevail, and Mr. Rogers indeed sat in the House the past 5 years, is it true that there would be severe personal fines and, moreover, any Bill passed when he may have been there "illegally" becomes null and void?
Don where is your inquisitive legal journalistic mind...there must be something to report on...keep on looking. if you look hard enough perhaps you could be more objective.
ReplyDeleteSorry, Anonymous, but I am not a journalist and I have neither the time nor the inclination to be inquisitive.
ReplyDeleteAs I told the Commissioner of Police one time, much to his shock and horror, I have no interest in the truth of these rumours. I hear them and I give you my reaction to what I have heard. That is what this blog sometimes is.
I depend on those in the know to react and to respond, and to put us right when necessary.
IDM
"I have no interest in the truth of these rumours. I hear them and I give you my reaction to what I have heard. That is what this blog sometimes is". I find this very irresponsible of you Mr Mitchell and quite shocking. You actually said that you have no interest in the truth. Are you aware that people in Anguilla actually expect the truth from you? My God. And we expect better from our children?
ReplyDeleteDon, you may be totally worry-free, relaxed and laid-back and have noticed nothing that concerns or interests you enough to write about - good for you. Everyone deserves a vacation!
ReplyDeleteHowever, maybe you missed the news stories about Hubert Hughes being in St. Kitts to meet with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. Reportedly on Tuesday our new Chief Minister publicly expressed his concern about both the Caribbean Commercial Bank and the National Bank of Anguilla, noting that the two banks were "under pressure". He also has recently repeated comments that the island’s Treasury is “bankrupt" and is in a poorer state than he had anticipated before coming into office.
Shouldn't these reports be cause for at least some level of worry or dismay? How bad is it? What is he talking to ECCB about?
I guess we should just follow your lead and relax, enjoy another Carib or rum punch and slap a little dominoes - after all, there is nothing we can do anyway.
Don what about the $10,000,00.00 the AUM government borrowed from Social Security when they campaign against taking money from SS? What about the special assistants that the AUM campaign against but have? What about the Chief Minister hiring his son as Parlimentary Secretary and 1st Nominated Member? What happen to the weekly press conferences? Why is the Chief Minister Hughes is moving government offices out at one place and putting it in his building? So he could "fat up" his pockets? I could go on and on---and you say you have nothing to clench teeth on! What a joke!
ReplyDeleteRegarding the two prior posts:
ReplyDeleteMr. Hughes is attending a scheduled Finance Ministers Meeting convened with/by the ECCB.
Government will be reporting to the people on the state of the nation's finances shortly.
When you go into Office and find that there is literally NOT ONE CENT in the Treasury and you are faced with Public expenditure committments, what should you do?
(a) Go to NBA and borrow 10 million dollars like the former Minister of Finance did in January?, or
(b) borrow 10 million dollars from the social Security Board?, or
(c) let public committments remaid unpaid?
Choose.
This new Government has far less Speicial Assistants than the former Government. These present Assistants at least are hard at work.
What about the former Minister of finance (and former designated Chief Minister Elect) having his sister in Law as 1st. Nominated Member and Defacto Minister of Tourism and, had they succeeded in the last Election, the Tourism Representative for North America for Anguilla based in New York, and replacing the lady who is currently contracted to do that job?
Thw Weekly Press Conferences will resume. Right now the Government are busy working seven days a week just to begin to unravel the abject mess left there by the former government.
The Chief Minister has NOT moved ANY Offices "out of one place and putting it in his building." This new Government is in the procvess of reviewing its accomodation needs with a view to removing as far as possible ALL Government offices from rental places and moving them into Government buildings and, if necessary, the Social Security Building, which is owned by the People of Anguilla.
Why don't you, Anonymous the Second, talk about Bunton's over EC$ 500,000.00 Gratuity and over 11 thousand dollars a month Pension, and Victor's and Kenneth's too, which they bequeathed onto themselves? If you looking for mischief, you need not look farther than the former Government's Ten Year Abuse of this country.
I wonder how long we are going to hear about what the former goverment did rather than what new government's plans are? Is this the CHANGE I voted for?
ReplyDeleteIs anyone wondering what happened to Huberts solution to our problem. The one magic bullet he touted during the campaign. The one he wouldn't reveal until he was chief minister? I am.
ReplyDeleteIf you have no money to pay salaries, then issue an iou coupon like California has to or just do not pay anyone for 1 month.
ReplyDeleteTell everyone that the auf left no money in the treasury when you took over they will understand and should be only to happy to help out.
I hope Mr Baird will publish the figures for the airport project now that he has access to them, We will wait to hear from the House of Assembly
ReplyDeleteI am also wondering what happened to the rescue plan that Mr Hughes had for Anguilla maybe will know when he returns from
ReplyDeletest kitts or from the UK
You all amaze me a post mention what the past ministers was to get in gratuity and pension and no-one scrench and say that way too much for self impose salary increases. And the only noise is how the present government will pay the past ministers salaries even though they on long vacations.
ReplyDeleteAn excellent comment about the Flag project by "alive in NY" on axapolitics.com:
ReplyDelete"again hubert stated that we cannot wait because the whole economy depends upon this project.....what!!!!! this project that
hubert didnt approve of and AS HE SAID ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS did nothing for axa.....now the whole economy depends on it.....
remember the previous gov said the same thing now hubert is saying it......people of axa beware..."
Some anonymous poster wants to post this comment: “Hey Don I can't believe you are a Hubert sympathizer! Now I know. I posted something couple of days ago and you refused to post it. Hey it all good! Its your website but I glad to know you are in "bed" with Hubert so you will pick and choose the soft criticisms on Hubert.’
ReplyDeleteYou can attack me all you want, but you cannot use my blog to make vicious personal attacks on other persons.
Only I am allowed to do that!
Hope that issue is sorted out.
IDM
It looks as if niel may not be the only one sitting in the House " illigal," I heard that Walcott was born in Aruba or one of the Dutch Island and should have been natralised can you shed some ligh on this don
ReplyDeleteHope you are not making a common mistake. It is not a problem in Anguillian politics to have dual nationality. An Anguillian born in the USA, or Aruba, and thus carrying two nationalities, can be validly nominated and elected in Anguilla. That Anguillian "inherited" the foreign nationality, and did not get it as a result of a voluntary act.
ReplyDeleteWhat is prohibited is for some Anguillian to become naturalised, by taking an oath of loyalty, to a foreign nation. That is the prohibited "voluntary" act.
If Walcott was born in Aruba, and acquired Dutch nationality by birth, which by the way I am told does not happen, then, he will still be an Anguillian and entitled to run in politics in Anguilla. It is only if you are born in the USA, or one or two other countries, that you get nationality by birth. Most other countries do not allow tourists who give birth to give the nationality of the country of birth to the child.
Hope that is clear. If not, consult your lawyer!
IDM