WHY REALIST SPIKENICE IS “NOT GOOD FOR ANGUILLA POLITICS”... AND HIS MANIFESTO.

My Fellow Anguillians, Brothers and Sisters

You said the time has come to move beyond the bitterness and pettiness and anger that have consumed us here on Anguilla. In the eloquence of President Kennedy, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” The nation of Anguilla now begs the question, “What have you done for me lately?”, a people crying out,“It aint nothing going on but the rent” – food and water shortage, no electricity, no jobs, extremely high healthcare cost, no help… the sanctity of my people has been diminished to the lowest of lows.

We are one people. And our time for real change has come. You want this because you believed so deeply that in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it. Love for country must have a defined meaning, and it's not hiding, it's not self, it's not family and it's not friends… and it matters not who make that commitment, once it has been done to benefit all of us as one people. 

This is why under my Administration after winning in 2015, come 2020 elections, I would have legislated that parties and/or candidates considering running in general elections on Anguilla must present a written and electronic manifesto to the Supervisor of Elections and the electorate 6 months to the date of the next general election, as a prerequisite for such candidacy, or have such candidacy null and void.

This will be the moment we will tore down barriers that have divided us for too long; an end to that last minute say-anything-to-win hidden agendas; when we can rally as a people, of all parties and ages to a common cause; when we finally gave Aguillians who have never participated in politics a reason to stand up and be counted.

This will be the moment when we can finally beat back the policies of fear and doubts and cynicism, the politics where we tear each other down instead of lifting this country up. This will be that moment.. the moment for our Head-of-State to be honest about the choices and the challenges we face, who will listen to us and learn from us, even when we disagree, who won't just tell us what we want to hear, but what we need to know.

I'll be that leader who will finally makes healthcare affordable and available to every single Aguillian, that ends investors abuses, that introduces a National Minimum Wage. I'll be a leader who harnesses the ingenuity of farmers, and entrepreneurs, free this nation from the tyranny of insurance companies and oil once and for all. And I'll be that leader who will restores our moral standing as Anguillians.

Hope is what I saw in the eyes of the young woman and men trying to survive on Anguilla. Hope in the eyes of frustrated youth who resorted to gun violence, not because he/she can't do better, but because they don't see better, don't know better, lack mentorship, lacks recreational facilities... and where possible too costly to partake. So they live out an illusion, and we mourn and pick up the pieces of their destruction. Hope is what lead many Anguillians to brave the many electrical and water shortages that plaques them day-in-and-day-out. Hope is what I hear in the many Anguillians voices in chat-rooms and forums. Hope is that fresh new blood – those ordinary people who are willing to do the extraordinary things..

Hope is what led me here today to announce my candidacy for the 2015 General elections on Anguilla, and to present to you my Manifesto from 2015 and beyond. And if you give me that chance in 2015, I promise you to bring all your hopes to reality, and that I will be that leader you've long hoped for on Anguilla.

My fellow Anguillians, let Hubertism, this Anguilla Utter Mess (AUM) be the last political disaster you've experienced on Anguilla. 

REALIST SPIKENICE “NOT GOOD FOR ANGUILLA POLITICS” 2015 MANIFESTO

• As a sovereignty of Britain, Anguilla future Constitution must be Written and Unwritten, and where written, must be compatible with International Laws, Conventions, Treaties, Human Rights Conventions, and any other signatory the British Government is party to, and in cases of a conflict, the latter supersedes.

• Parliament remains supreme.

• Laws will be enforced, and serious consequences for omissions.

• Any one interested in running for Parliament on Anguilla “must” disclose all interest 6 months prior to registering his/her candidacy, together with a written and electronic manifesto to the Supervisor of Elections and the Electorate, or such candidacy will be null an void.

• Electoral Reform, to a single Head-of-State through a Single Transferable Vote/Alternative Vote system.

• Number of Parliamentarians decreased to Three (3), maximum five (5), through a First Past The Post System.

• Each Executive member of government, in his/her constituency, to have a fully functioning Office,with at least 1 Adviser, 1 Secretary, and 1 Treasurer – to be further debated and determined by Parliament.

• Overseas voting to be introduced.

• New registration computerized voting system to be introduced.

• Every Anguillian (home and abroad) will have the right and privilege to vote in general elections on Anguilla. The said will be registered to vote in the 2020 general elections equipped with a computerized generated Registration Card and Number. Any voter refusing such right and privilege, the said shall be charged, not less than US$100.00, to be determined by The Supervisor of Elections, and accrued for each election thereafter refused. Such cost must be paid before eligibility to vote in any subsequent General Elections on Anguilla.

• The Electorate to trigger referendums on "issues of importance" by amassing petitions signed by 5% of voters over a six-month period.

• Voters to force a By-Election for any Parliamentarian found responsible for “serious wrongdoing”.

• Government Ministers will be found accountable for actions of “serious misconduct” by their Departments.

• The electorate to force Parliament to move a Motion or Bill if 250 or more voters petition for it.

• An immediate end to the powers of micro-management by government ministers.

• A comprehensive salaries review, and the introduction of an Independent Salaries and Means Commission to deal with salaries for Government Ministers and Civil Servants, and Civil Service Reform, by the end of 2015. 

• A freeze on Public Sector pay pending review and recommendations by the Salaries And Means Commission. 

• Civil Servants to receive Fifty percent (50%) of outstanding salaries owed to them by Government by the end of 2015. 

• Cut Ministers of Government pay by 33 percent (33%), followed by a freeze, pending review and recommendations by the Salaries And Means Commission. 

• A Bill to approve the “necessity of travel”, “and cost”, for Government Ministers, to be debated and approved by Parliament, by the end of 2015.

• Spending cuts up to a third (33%) in all other ministries apart from Health and Education period.

• A team of British medical experts to work with the government of Anguilla on the introduction of the long awaited National Healthcare Scheme within the first year in government, with an immediate free health checks for all concerned nationals on day-1 in Office. Older persons benefiting through such a scheme, and where that said person has not made certain contributions, but are entitled to real assets,  the said assets may be bonded by such scheme. 

• The Ambulance services to be properly regulated and privatized under the National Health Scheme for Anguilla.

• The relocation and development of a new Education Department and facilities.

• A new Comprehensive Secondary School with auditorium, museum (with the aim to incorporate The National Trust, the Heritage Collection Museum, Anguilla’ history, and the teaching of local history as a core-subject of the curriculum), gym, conference rooms, research labs, library, and computer rooms - complete with security and full parking space. 

• A complete state-of-the-art Six Form in same locality. 

• Introduction of Child Tax Credit for working parents with child between 3 months (where no such Paternity Law sanctioned) and Kindergarten age. Under such scheme, parents must be in fulltime employment, child must be in care, and parents combined earnings total less that $24,000.00. 

• Enforcement of laws to hold parents accountable for child school attendance with sanction penalties, and to ensure guaranteed place in education or training for all 16 and 17 year olds. Guarantee people aged 18-24 a job, work experience or training place if they are unemployed for more than six months after school leaving age. 

• Home schooled kids must be monitored, and standard public school curriculum examination be given randomly, with shortcomings to be addressed and necessary immediate action taken. Home-schooled kids are not to be seen in public without a guardian, during school hours. The Consequence is to lose such privilege to Home-school. 

• Provide university and further education scholarships for the top 5 Secondary School “achievers” leaving ALHCS annually to attend a "United Kingdom University".

• An immediate lifting of all Immigration illegal restrictions, as it relates to British/EU citizenship.

• An immediate and total banning of all illegal restrictions on movements of goods, labour, and nationals of French and Dutch St.Martin/St. Marteen, including vehicular moments. Registered vehicles in either territory will be free to drive in any of the three territories. 

• Joint border surveillance and security controls with English/French/Dutch Immigration,Customs and Police forces at borders and exclusive seas.

• Authorities with or without consent may, in cases of high security operations, be given rights to enter each other’ territorial waters and air spaces – the territorial authorities must be subsequently notified and criminal processed in that territory before extradition. 

• Strict Immigration controls, ensuring only economic migrants who will bring the most value to the economy are admitted, and establish an annual limit for non-EU economic migrants.

• An immediate break to the automatic link between staying in Anguilla for a period of five years and being able to settle or gain British Citizenship.

• New legislation confirming all births on Anguilla, its Keyes, and territorial sea and airspace, irrespective to circumstance, will be deemed Anguillian with full rights and privileges, if apply objectively, within 6 month.

• A new state-of-the-art main Customs facility.

• A new Customs’ vehicle assigned to each Customs port. 

• 10 New Police surveillance vehicles and a number of bicycles added to the fleet.

• Increased front line police in various towns patrolling on foot and bicycles.

• A fully established Community Police Force with effective powers.

• Expert police from the UK and/or Caricum, to join the Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF) at various seniority or levels.

• When vacant, the position of Commissioner of Police to be advertised, and selection to be broad, from throughout the United Kingdom and its territories, and Caricom, including any Anguillian senior police officer serving any part of the globe that meets the qualification.

• Immediate new breathalysing legislation and polices powers to breathalyse suspects believe to be driving a vehicle under the influence of Alcohol. 

• New DUI legislation, and the selling to a minor cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.

• New police powers to fine and/or shut down businesses that contravene the sale of alcohol and cigarettes to a minor.

• Allow the police to use approved measures to deal with anti-social behaviours, without criminalizing young people unnecessarily, and allow/support concerned individuals or groups to improve the rehabilitation of offenders, and pay providers for results.

• The decriminalization of Marihuana possession on quantity. Persons in possession of up to two (2) spiffs/joints shall not be criminalized or charged.

• Value Added Tax V.A.T. introduced.

• The Levy will be repealed at the first session of Parliament.

• Immediate Introduction of the National Insurance Scheme.

• Revamp Social Security Scheme to maximize contributors’ benefits, and to coincide with the introduction of National Insurance and National Health Services.

• Directorship of any statutory body to be by tenure, to not exceed a defined time.

• Immediate lifting of illegal Customs Duties on all foods bought VAT and shipped directly out of the EU, bounded for Anguilla.

• Immediate lifting of Customs Duties, and the Price control on basic foods (flour, sugar, rice, milk,water, salt, raw meats and vegetables, plants, agriculture seeds, etc.)

• The introduction of Income Tax at a threshold at which people start paying income tax at $12,000 by 1 January 2016.

• The introduction of Inheritance Tax at a threshold at which people start paying Inheritance Tax at $12,000.00.

• By Order-in-Council, new Planning Legislation to be introduced.

• By Order-in-Council, new Land-Tax Legislation to be introduced.

• Impose further introduction of "Accommodation Tax" on the value of all properties (single or combine, whether or not occupied by paying tenants, and at standard basic rate if unoccupied) over $1m, and the prospects of introducing Capital Gains Tax to bring it into line with Income Tax in the future.

• Scrap Stamp Duty for the purchase of homes $1m and under. 

• Vehicular Third Party Insurance to be incorporated in Driving Licenses. This ensures that all cars will be insured to drive on the roads of Anguilla pre-insured. Owners of vehicles may further comprehensively insured where necessary. 

• Vehicular Road Tax to be incorporated in fuel charges. This is simple commonsense – if you don’t have fuel, your vehicle cannot drive. This will also diminish, or ease the burden on your electricity bills by spreading the cost across the full spectrum of buying fuel at the pumps on Anguilla, and this will also benefit our environment.  

• Improved legislation on Road traffic Negligence/Recklessness at a lower threshold, higher cost, leading to criminalisation. And where the guilty dies, his/her property will be addressed, if not comprehensively insured.

• Full Labour Legislation, given full consideration to EU Regulations.

• National Minimum Wage in line with average earnings, taking in consideration recommendations from the Independent Salaries and Means Commission, to be introduced within the first 100 days in government.

• Anguillians overseas to receive same incentive packages for jobs on Anguilla as their overseas counterparts, in any area qualified, for up to a maximum of three (3) years.

• Investors who received incentives from the people of Anguilla, through their government, to invest on Anguilla, must be in financial standing at all times, or risk closure. Under any such circumstance, incentives will be calculated as government shares. 

• In every area of opportunity, understudies “MUST” be Anguillian and/or British, and made permanent within 5 years, sanctioned in law, and agreed upon in all future Memorandums of Understandings. Any such further educational/developmental etc. of such individual understudying during this period, must be met in partnership with The Developer, The Government of Anguilla, The Government of the United Kingdom and/or through the European Union (EU) Overseas Territories Financial Assistance Schemes.

• An immediate partnership viability of our untapped resources, including Fishing and Salt - whether with Britain, the EU, Japanese, or Chinese. 

• New farm lands allocated, and tax-free concessions on all forms of agriculture seeds, plants, machinery, furniture and vehicles. 

• Restore State ownership of the Anguilla Electricity Company (ANGLEC). We will explore alternative sources of energy, wind, solar and solar thermal etc.

• Restore State ownership of Water Supply. 

• A comprehensive long-term systematic infrastructure development scheme, with an immediate study to be carried out, and Bill taken to Parliament immediately there after. EU founding will be guaranteed for any such study.

• Publish online all items of government spending over $10,000.00.

• Work with the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) on the amalgamation of the two indigenous banks on Anguilla, and its future branding.

• New Consumer Protection Legislation and Agency to be introduced.

• The amalgamation of Anguilla Tourism Board and the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association as one Board. The Tourism Department will be a fully run government regulatory Office (watch dog).

• An immediate review of the rules governing the Anguilla Taxi Association, with a view to introduce highly regulated private hired radio vehicles. Operators to have five or more vehicles, with drivers.

• A comprehensive study on the strength of the Radio Waves of the Caribbean Beacon, and the effects it has on the people of Anguilla, with a view to regulate and standardize. With such modern technology hovering, the need for such Radio Waves strength just maybe outdated and cause more health risk than usefulness.

• With assistance from the the UK Government and/or the EU, build a high security Goal to house not less than 500 inmates!