ANGUILLA UNITED FRONT (AUF) PARTY CONVENTION - “VISIONARY, CREATIVE, BOLD, DETERMINED”

AUF PARTY CONVENTION A GREAT SUCCESS

The 2010 Anguilla General Election AUF candidates, L to R: 

Hon. O Vanterpool, Mrs. C Hodge, Hon. M Rogers, Mr. V Banks, 

Mr. D Rey, Mr. C Richardson, and Mr. K Richardson
( replaced by Mr. C Connor)

The commitment of the Anguilla United Front (AUF) to providing visionary, creative, bold and determined leadership to the people of Anguilla received a huge boost on January 14 and 22, 2012, the two days in which the Party held its National Convention. The slogan for the Convention was“Visionary, Creative, Bold, Determined”.

An average of seventy delegates attended the two days of the Convention, with each Party Group from across the seven constituencies well represented. The delegates brought to each session of the Convention a strong sense of optimism for the future, in spite of the severe difficulties our people are facing at this time individually and as a community. They brought much passion and enthusiasm for the goal and mission of the AUF. Delegates strengthened and renewed their commitment to the AUF and their support for what the Party stands for.

Delegates discussed the agenda issues in depth, bringing a high degree of seriousness and focus to the sessions. At the same time, enthusiasm for the restoration of the prosperity and harmony of the Anguillian community and optimism for the future of the country we love was maintained throughout the two day event. The serious, positive and optimistic mood of the Convention was well and truly set on Saturday January 14, Day One of the Convention, with a heartfelt, hard hitting, and stirring address by Mr. John (Bob) Rogers, one of our foremost leaders in the Anguilla Revolution and a selfless and unwavering patriot. Bob greatly inspired the delegates at the start of the Convention speaking on the topic “Where do we go from here – 45 years after the Revolution?”

Day One of the Convention, focused on the costs to our people of the policies, laws, decisions, and actions, as well as the style, attitude and approach of Chief Minister Hubert Hughes and his AUM Government since they took office on February 16, 2010. The delegates were addressed by the Party Leader, the Hon. Victor Banks, describing and analyzing the depressed economic, social and political state of the Anguillian Community and the hardships, which our people are facing at this time. Mr. Banks focused attention on the serious bungling and mishandling by the Hubert Hughes Administration of the operations of Government and on its record of poor governance over the past two years, especially its poor management of the economy, resulting in greater hardship being suffered by our people than should be. He was informative and on point.

He drew attention to the heavy costs to our people in the increased severity of the economic and financial hardships facing the community, resulting from the unfair taxes and other measures imposed by the Government of the Hon. Hubert Hughes. These impositions have brought additional difficulties on top of the hardship and pain brought on by the global recession. They have caused additional job losses, further reductions in wages and salaries and in working hours.

Deputy Party Leader and Leader of the Opposition in the House of Assembly, the Hon. Evans McNeil Rogers, in his presentation, zeroed in on the harmful style, attitude and approach of the Chief Minister and his Government, which is dictatorial, confrontational, and destructive, based on falsehoods, half truths and outright propaganda repeated over and over. Mr. Rogers did a great job as he has done in the House of Assembly and in the media of pinpointing the harm that we have suffered and are suffering as a result of the anti-democratic governing style of Hubert Hughes, his ministerial colleagues, and the remaining leadership of his AUM Party. Delegates were left in no doubt that the Hubert and his Government are committing and are guilty of the very errors, mistakes, and corrupt practices, which Hubert Hughes and his cohorts have tried to pin on the AUF and its leadership.

Delegates were left in no doubt that the political climate in Anguilla has deteriorated and has been made more unstable over the past two years. They deplored and expressed outrage at the overly confrontational and erratic actions and dictatorial behavior of Chief Minister Hubert Hughes and the disruptive and destabilizing impacts of his pattern of Government.

The details of the bleak picture under the AUM Government were further pointed out by the Hon. Othlyn Vanterpool in his presentation. He made his points from an examination of the social and community development components of the operations of the Government. Many came to the conclusion that the Chief Minister is concerned essentially with advancing his interest and that of his family and cronies and is not interested in the welfare of all members of the Community, especially the poor, unemployed and low income wage and salary earners.

Delegates broke up into groups discussed strategies to be pursued by the AUF going forward. Many excellent ideas were put forward. When the Day One sessions ended, they went away more determined than ever to redouble their efforts individually and collectively as a Party to regain the trust and overwhelming support of the people, retake control of the Government at the next General Elections and once again lead the people of Anguilla to higher heights as a community and a nation.

Day Two of the Convention received the group reports on strategies and programmes to regain victory in elections and return to office leading the people of Anguilla, as their Government duly elected on a platform of truth, realistic goals and objectives and capable leaders, with a strong commitment to the democratic process. Many recommendations were made and will form the basis of the Party’s political programme going forward.

The convention also endorsed the AUF full support for Commissioner Proctor and all ranks of the Royal Anguilla Police Force in their fight against crime and their efforts to maintain Anguilla’s image as a peaceful and friendly place to visit and stay. As a means of demonstrating their support for the Police, members of the AUF joined the officers at their church service marking the beginning of the 40th anniversary week of the police week. The AUF calls on all Anguillians. residents and visitors to support this week of activities and continue to support the lawmen in their efforts to keep Anguilla the peaceful nation it has always been known to be. This the AUF believes this is in keeping with the theme for the Police Week “PUBLIC SECURITY SHARED RESPONSIBILITY”.

The delegates of the Convention mandated elected members of the AUF to use the means available to them to call on the Chief Minister, to take the issue of independence to the people of Anguilla to decide upon. The Delegates articulated the firm belief that it is time for Chief Minister to stop talking about Independence and hold a referendum on it before his 80th Birthday in October this year.

Cardigan Connor: Former Hampshire Cricketer, and 

Anguilla's 'chef de mission' (team manager) at the

2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester - currently

an entrepreneur, sports analyst, cricket and fitness 
coach, and works as a hotel masseur on Anguilla.

The Convention ended with a business session, particularly elections to the various offices and organs of the Party. The highlight of the business session and elections was the formal ratification by the Convention of the selection of Mr. Cardigan Connor by the Constituency Seven Party Group to contest the next elections as the AUF candidate for the District 7 and the overwhelming support for the reelection of Mr. Victor F. Banks as Party Leader. The full Executive Committee as elected by the convention is as follows:

Victor F. Banks: Party Leader - District 4

Evans McNiel Rogers: Deputy Political Leader - District 3

Fritz Smith: Party Chairman

Cardigan Connor: Deputy Party Chairman - District 7

Cora Richardson Hodge: General Secretary - District 2

Osbourne Fleming: Treasurer

Sheila Richardson: Secretary

Darwin Hazell: PRO

Charonay Carty: Chair -Youth Arm

Blondell Rodgiers: Chair -Women's Arm

Harold Ruan: Chair - Planning Committee

Linette Sasso: Chair - Membership Committee

Marcel Fahie: Chair - Finance Committee

Othlyn Vanterpool: District 1

Delsic Rey: District 5

Curtis Richardson: District 6

Kenswick Richardson, Claude Smith, Tyrone Hughes, Corvel Fleming, and Kent Webster

AUMSWAT: "No no, Hubie already gotten his! Buh

 any one knows how to contact Courtney Walsh 
or Brian Lara?"

An average of seventy delegates attended both days of the Convention. The Convention energized the delegates. They recommitted to the democratic principles on which the AUF is founded and most significantly to promoting and leading the party to victory in the next elections and leading the people of Anguilla back to development, prosperity, peace and harmony. 

By: Information Division of the Anguilla United Front (AUF)