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1/5/1969 - Anguilla. U.D.I. or not? by Frank J. McDonald

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAIR S FJM Anguilla I Anguil U D I January St Thomas Anauilla Bee Island St Martin Barbuda Nevis MZ Caribbean Sea N artinique Lucia Barbados Vincent Im Island renadines arriacou Tobago On Anguilla Christmas season normally carefree peaceful The churches filled Christ morning services tradition Indies slavery servants plant ation their awakening sunrise A I through Anguillans rounds visiting friends usually frequently during though Christmas formal certainly merrier occasion addition ginger serving Christmas cakes The Christmas repeated again first August those other islands return Anguilla family friends The three small airlines which service Anguilla daily operate Shuttling forth between St Thomas St Martin Anguilla The airport jammed happy place having become focus Anguillan attention This however there signs anxiety greetings A political crisis question Unilateral Declaration Independence gripped attention people first question asked about feasibility wisdom declaring U I I Great Britain which further present state secession St KI Nevi The U D I complete break Great Britain small vocally powerful group island They native Anguillans others expatriate Americans claim British Governmentin Collusion Americansjare trying force nguila At Kitts Nevis H M G really preventing Anguillan Government seeking recognition other Car bhean states would interests Angui declare U D I These indidviduals clamour accepting various business deals forward numerous merican Canadian speculators means helping island Ie ecOnom sound enough alone Development schemes thick point foreign advisers British Government these deals would helping Anguilla prosperous today As examples schemes offered Angui I The International Ban___k A ngui_ project proposed couple New York business partners supported Anguil The establish Bank nguilla which source credit It would owned Anguillan Governmen The Charter arrived Anguil about closed It minute checking American background discovered former president New York larger banks embezzled mi111ondo Th__e A_ngu__i_l_la D_eve _me_nt Cor_p_0r_a Qn_ apparent sound business arrangement which American Florida offered bring build building materials factory The factory would producedpre fabricated building materials cementand providedheavy construction equipment It would owned Anguillan Governmnet through purchase shares exceed Lt9 Corporation owned American He would course usual oncessions The hitch Floridian demanded exclusive building island future including homes hotels building water reclamation rights In other words would contracting agent island effect control agent future development A monopoly serious economic political consequence Angui The against U D I Anguillans speculation The British argued offer advice future business deals prevent sharks making In addition these Angui concerned about ability island govern itself internally present They propose period cautious growth training would better Be sides break H M G would deprive island considerable teachers advisors engineers aside nearly forty thousand pounds which comes source The debate U D I therefore related other vital issues continued British presence Angullla attitude taken toward foreigners manner which future econom development place consequent attitude other Caribbean states toward Angui The issues natura brought heightened sense crisis island Many rumours circulate telling political deals British American collusion assasination invasion The situtation helped Government since governing Council uctant clarify position Ronald 4ebster Chariman Council however issue order prohibiting Kittian friend St Kitts Anguilla He refused LIAT British owned transport service Anguilla because direct service St Kitts Arriving passangers carefully scrutinized Sometimes former advisers Anguilla Government greeted suspicious stares worse unkind belligerent comments These Ronald lebster likely night prefers travel about trusted companions instead alone Even Bank America representative island Bank America opened branch Anguilla about accused working collusion British Secret Service As result Bank manager asking leave absence Most often however irrational comments misguided patriots there zealots border fringes paranoia Anguillans extremely sensible people They determined avoid statements abhor violence They concerned about their future resisting overdramatic Last Ronald ebster called public meeting Ronald ebster Park He spoke nearly assembled Anguillans commital fashion asked seven memeber Island Council express point garding question U D I break Breat Britain This completely spontaneous demand ebster since Council never discussed matter private session In United States would certainly called participatory democracy In every speech councilman expressed conviction continued resistance return St Kltts necessary break Great Britain declaration U D I would harmful Anguilla cause Only councilman allace Rey inefficient Public 4orks Department voiced strong support declaration U D I His attitude rooted hostility toward outside influence represents chauvinlstc island leaders An isolationist Rey figures outside influence threat carefully nurtured power built months He strong tactics quipped articulate voice which intimidate easily He capable saying anything His rhetoric outside council meetingsis quaint eloquent West Indian accent Mr Rey begins In event sland thrown entirely resources Rey would powerfui position wouldexercise considerable influence islandls affairs Even though without following Rey enemy Challenging Mr Rey comments Mr Atlin Harrigan recently elected councilman editor island eekly sheet THE BEACON Mr Harrigan known throughout island first began argue secession St Kitts Nevis He began writing letters editor opposition newspaper St Kitts At electrician St Thomas making money He return Angui order support movement St Kitts Harrigan known courage honesty integrity He quiet always write directly speaks He criticized nguillan Government unpopular He uncommon objectivity unusual small island Anguilla On particular clear Harrigan support people called continued resistance St Kitts tinuing Great Britain He support direct declaration unilateral independence Nevertheless impossible predict action Mr Ronald lebster He stubborn unpredictable It disuade about anything A mixture vanity pride reinforce treak religious Seventh Day Adventist ebster begins council meeting prayer Like Anguillans employs numerous references God divine providecein speech writing closing letter invocation God He conservative inhis morality intolerant He rarely tells 4ebst laughs forced uncertain should He formal point rigidity These immense pressures faces little occasion smile He preoccupied cautious seems concerned somethin inside small black briefcase which attached since becoming island Chief Executive Chairman Council He never without hether bster declare U D I impossible Some consider vague threat which intimidate British Gov ernment giving island better conditions bargaining point negotiations continue between H H G St Kitts Nevis Angui Gove rnment On other Webster decide alone without formality making statement about U D I He decide disregard usual diplomatic procedures quietly inform Great Britain sland would maintain Great Britain informal while reserving right assistance other Caribbean states This would relieve pressure British hostile towards Anguilla allow Robert Bradshaw Premier St Kitts Nevis diplomatic points showing responsible Anguilla In Anguilla might invite H M G British Representative Island informal arrangement accord constitutional agreements whereby H M G entirely responsible defense external affairs three islands In other worls cedure latera independence without thrown Financia doing enough The budget figures which drawn revenue greater expected The government budgeted revenue O0 B41 actual revenue period totaled B I substantial increase Expenses higher budget allowed nearly percentage revenue Last after months independence St Kitts Nevis Anguilla deficit BI41 This audit shows In period little revenue donations first month period The total donations uding direct HHG B41 total which donated first months independence The source revenue postage stamps The stamps brought about L5 revenue stamps brought nearly B I There Anguilla coins which provide about B I These coins minted Belgium financed Englishman named DeRot reputed popular They Ronald 4ebst Aside stamps coins duties taxes imposed government brought BWI treasury which substantia increase income duties taxes Yet there serious balance payments since island report particularly foodstuffs Very grown island nature climate Defense spending about reason invasion St Kit The spent about according treasury Anguillans ching their beaches possible assault St Kit hlugh thought unlikely invasion force could leave St Kit without Anguillan government knowing about almost There efficient network between St Kit Angui happens place without other learning about quickly According airport figures Anguilla about visit probably Anguillans returning lidays another There tourists about beaat Anguilla beaches which truly lovely They number where thirty windingjwit white During holidays island functioning families people known about Anguil capable talking great knowle Jge about political economic problems They hazel strong achment island In addition critical political situation island there medical problem The doctor island about coming East He replaced temporary doctors hlred It seems island anyone since replacement osteopath about leave Ai however prevent islanders having Christmas The island green something thankful about It rained almost every night essing island which Picnics vacation cramped school building which taught The teachers happy On Christmas things quiet Peop their formal visits igious umping The festivi Boxing Day lively owing Christmas Anguillans their parties dances rests There parade grave roads where leader dressed demon young people singing dancing steel truck And while going Chairman Ronald ebster wondering island going during crucial weeks ahead Yours Frank McDonal Received New York January Map Page I Courtesy Leward Islands Air Taxi L I A T