The term Independence is best defined after a definition of the term
colonialism.

A colonial status is characterized by two conditions: - a) The oppressor &
b) The oppressed. Thus, there has never been in the past and cannot be in
the future a partnership between the colonializer and the colonized – the
oppressor and the oppressed – the administrating power and the administered.

In a colonial status, there is always the burden of paternalism – the
father/mother deciding for her children. Independence, on the other hand
allows for self-determination – determining one’s own future or destiny.

To say therefore, that you are not ready for independence is to accept a
condition of servitude, of having your destiny decided by others who do not
know what is best for you and ignores what you really want to do and replace
what you want, with what they want you to do.

If you examine the historical dimensions of colonialism, you will be forced
to learn much about the process of imperialism. The term imperialism and the
phenomenon of imperialism.

There was a time when Britain boasted that the sun never sets on her empire
– so widespread was her domain. They fought a war against Argentina in the
1980s to maintain her hold on the Falkland islands. As recent as last month
she refused giving Gibraltar her independence citing Spain might colonized
her. This month she refused to let the people of the San Diego islands
return even after a high court decided in the San Diego people’s favour.

The Anguilla revolution was triggered by a desire our people to determine
their own destiny – to chart its own course. There were those who said at
the time that Anguilla was not ready to be on its own; but by going it alone
Anguilla was able to qualify and to seek its own development program. As a
matter of fact, we were totally independent for a time in 1967. Some of our
leaders thought that we should have done it and there were some who said we
should seek the British and become colonized. In the early days and into the
early 80s the Government of Anguilla had some power. CM Emile Gumbs even
appealed to the Government of Taiwan for infrastrutural aid and an
international airport because, as he said, “we are a small island on the
threshold of independence”!

After the revolution we benefited by qualifying for our own aid and
investment programmes. The development, which we have today in terms of
human resource, could not have occurred nor sustained without the economic
development which we on our own in the later 70s and early 80s have been
free to determine. Through all of the advancement that Anguillians have
made, we have yet to scratch the surface of our potential. We still suffer
from the trappings and restrictions of the colonial dictatorship. Britain
still dictates how we live and die. The power to chart our course and the
freedom that comes along with it was taken away from us through
constitutional reforms in 1983, 1989 and now we are left with virtually no
power. New constitutional reforms will give whatever little power that we
have to the British to be used by their Governor. Our elected
representatives have no real power and the Governor enjoys near absolute
authority. All the powers of administration are in the hands of Britain and
are exercised by a secretary of state in London through the Governor.

The Governor also posses the power to disallow any law that the legislative
assembly passes but at the same time Britain can go to parliament with any
bill or Order in Council imposing any law on the people of Anguilla. The
death penalty was abolished for Anguilla by a British act in parliament in
Westminster and Britain plans to impose legal homosexuality by an Order in
Council as soon as Christmas.

The real significance of these impositions of legislation is to facilitate
the continuing buildup of a British population in the entire colonial, now
OVERSEAS TERRITORIES, especially Anguilla and Tortola.

You might ask why England wants us! The fact remains that colonies were
always used as a second lease on life for British citizens. When Britons
settle here they must be able to enjoy the same culture they enjoyed in
Britain – their mother country. Furthermore, the record shows for reasons
better known to Britain many economic development projects have been stalled
by them. The Bremigin airport is the largest of these economic projects that
they have stalled since 1983.

As costs escalate from year to year and as the last real site is lost
forever, Anguilla’s economy will not be sustained, as we will probably never
again get an adequate airport. Such a significant piece of infrastructure
will determine the future social and economic well being and standard of
living of future as well as present generations of our people. Without
adequate infrastructure there is little hope that the increasing jobs
required for an ever-growing population of school leavers will be created.

The burden of being an overseas territory is too much for us to carry!

Recently a whole bunch of laws were written by British appointed British
legal draftsmen and hurried through the Anguilla house of assembly in total
disregard for the well being of the Anguillian people.

The main effect of those laws is to stall our economic and social
development and to criminalize the Anguillian people. Now we are hearing of
how much our taxes will increase. There will be increases in house taxes,
road taxes, duties on gas, some custom duties will be increased and there is
a medium term plan to implement land taxes. Taxes and no minimum wage
increases can only result our houses and lands being taxed out of our hands.
(Note, at present the minimum wage on Anguilla stands at US0.92cents) Even
this taxation is not being spent properly. The Chief Minister is given
EC$3'900 a month for the cleaning of his personal home while the entire
Physics department at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School is given a
mere EC$200 for the year 2001.

That process is already happening in other territories in particular
neighboring St. Maarten/St. Martin, as they succumb more and more to
European Union standards and jurisdictions. Anguilla has no other option
than to do what all of the rest of the British colonial territories around
the globe did; that is, opt for full self-determination!

The Anguilla Independence Movmement - A.I.M.

Haydn Hughes Stachel Warner James Connor
President Spokesman Chairman

M. Halley M. K. Edwards A. Richardson
Core member Core member Core member

R. C. Hughes I. Connor D. Franklin
Advisor Core member Core member

I. Muhammed K. Carty C. Gumbs (Ms.)
Core member UK affiliate Webmistress & US affiliate

R. Davis K. Connor Hon. Chedmonde Browne MP Core
member Core member Honorary member