PROFILE

Country Facts

Status: British Overseas Territory
Area: 90 sq km
Population: 15,962 (2009 estimate)
Capital City: The Valley
Languages: English
Religion(s): Christianity
Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) (although the US$ is widely accepted)
Major political parties: Anguilla United Front; Anguilla United Movement; Anguilla Progressive Party; Anguilla National Strategic Alliance.
Governor: His Excellency Mr Alistair Harrison
Chief Minister: The Honourable Hubert Hughes (Anguilla United Movement)

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ECONOMY

Basic Economic Facts

GDP: US$297.27m (2009)
GDP per head: US$18,623 (2009)
Growth: -13.1% (2009)
Major Industries: Tourism; Banking, Insurance and financial services; Real estate, renting and business; Construction; Transport, Storage and Communications; Government Service.
Major trading partners: North America (mainly USA), Caribbean Region (Caricom, St Martin/St Maarten and other Caribbean)
Exchange rate: EC$2.6882 to the US$

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HISTORY

Colonised by British and Irish settlers in 1650, Anguilla was administered as a single federation with St Kitts and Nevis from 1958 to 1962. The islanders, believing their interests were being ignored and wishing to retain their direct links with Britain, sought separation from the federation in the 1960s. This disquiet culminated in the revolution of 1967. Anguilla came under direct British rule in the 1970s and eventually became a separate British Dependent Territory in 1980.

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INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with Neighbours

Anguilla is an associate member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Anguilla comes under the jurisdiction of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court.

Relations with the International Community

HMG is responsible for Anguilla's external relations.

Relations with the UK

HMG are responsible for Anguilla's external relations, defence and internal security. The principal point of contact is Overseas Territories Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Governor's Office, Government House, Anguilla.

Anguilla Representative to the Overseas Territories Association in the UK:

UK representative of Anguilla

UK Representative: Ms Dorothea Hodge
Government of Anguilla London Office
Suite 206-207
71-75 Shelton Street
London WC2H 9JQ

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7470 8801
Email: ukeurep@anguillagovlondon.org (ukeurep@anguillagovlondon.org)

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GEOGRAPHY

Anguilla is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the eastern Caribbean. The island is 16 miles long and a maximum of 3 miles wide. It enjoys clear seas and some of the best beaches in the region. The island itself is predominantly flat and covered with low scrub. Anguilla's capital and administrative centre is the Valley (population 1,400). Its primary ports of entry are Clayton J Lloyd (formerly Wallblake) Airport and Blowing Point Ferry Terminal. The neighbouring island is French St Martin and Dutch Sint Maarten 5 miles to the South.

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TRADE AND INVESTMENT

Trade and Investment with the UK

UK Exports to Anguilla: £563, 260 (2010)
UK Imports from Anguilla : £185,661 (2010)

UK Development Assistance

The FCO, through its Overseas Territories Programme Fund (OTPF), supports projects that contribute to the maintenance of stability and security as well as the promotion of accountable government. Several projects have supported the development of officers in the Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF), including maritime training for the RAPF marine unit and support for an Inspector in the Financial Investigation Unit. HMP Anguilla has also benefited, receiving essential training and equipment that contributes to the safety and welfare of prison inmates and officers. The Department for Disaster Management used OTPF funding to train staff from the emergency services in advanced Search and Rescue techniques. Anguilla has also benefited from several smaller projects that contribute to the social well being of the island.

Anguilla benefits from DFID-funded regional OT projects and emergency aid in the event of a natural or man-made disaster. DFID have also recently provided technical assistance to help return Anguilla’s public finances to a more sustainable footing.

DFID Country Profile: Anguilla (http://www2.dfid.gov.uk/countries/caribbean/anguilla.asp)

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POLITICS

Constitutional Status

Anguilla is an internally self-governing UK Overseas Territory with a ministerial system of government. The 1982 Constitution (amended in 1990) provides for a Governor, an Executive Council and a House of Assembly. The Governor, appointed by HM The Queen, has reserved powers in respect of legislation, and is responsible for external affairs, offshore finance, defence and internal security (including the police force) and the public service. The current Deputy Governor, appointed in 2006, is the first Anguillian to hold that position. He has delegated responsibility for running the public service and for disaster management.

The Executive Council comprises the elected government plus two Ex-Officio Members (Attorney General and Deputy Governor). The House of Assembly comprises 12members: Speaker, seven elected Members, two Nominated and the two ex-officio Members. Elections are held at least every five years.

Constitutional Reform

Under the 1999 White Paper Partnership for Progress and Prosperity, HMG invited the Overseas Territories to carry out local consultation and to make proposals for the review and modernisation of their Constitution. Anguilla appointed a new Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission to take forward the constitutional reform process in 2006, which presented its report in August of that year. The first round of constitutional talks was scheduled for July 2007 but was postponed at the request of the then Chief Minister Mr Osbourne Fleming to allow more time for consultation. That process stalled, but the current government have expressed their interest in looking again at this issue.

Government

Governor's and Deputy Governor's Office

Governor: His Excellency Mr Alistair Harrison
Deputy Governor: The Hon Stanley Reid
Head of Governor's and Deputy Governor's Office: Mrs Catherine Firth
Staff Officer: Mr Peter Roberts
Government House
Old Ta
Anguilla
Tel: (00) (1) (264) 497 2621/2622
Fax: (00) (1) (264) 497 3314

Government Ministers

Chief Minister and Minister for Finance, Economic Development, Investment and Tourism: The Hon Hubert Hughes
Minister for Social Development: The Hon Edison Baird:
Minister for Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing, Agriculture and Fisheries: The Hon Evan Gumbs
Minister for Home Affairs, Natural resources, Lands and Physical Planning: The Hon Walcott Richardson

Recent Political Developments

The last general election was held on 15 February 2010. The election saw a 82.1% turn-out of the 8,600 strong electorate. The Anguilla United Movement (AUM) won four out of the seven seats becoming the ruling party again after 10 years in opposition. The Government is made up of the four members of the AUM (Hubert Hughes, Edison Baird, Walcott Richardson, Evan Gumbs) plus Jerome Roberts, elected representative for District 2 (East End/Sandy Hill). The opposition members of the House of Assembly are Evans McNeil Rogers and Othlyn Vanterpool of the Anguilla United Front (AUF).

Elections

The next election is due by March 2015.

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HUMAN RIGHTS

Overseas Territories are expected to comply with their obligations under the international human rights instruments which have been extended to them. The following major Conventions apply in Anguilla:

European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT)
UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
UN Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)

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