ANGUILLA–Chief Minister Victor Banks and Sherpa Fritz Smith on Monday, July 10, joined Blondel Cluff, Anguilla’s representative to the UK Government and the European Union (EU), at the House of Lords to give evidence to the Select Committee on the EU.
Banks impressed on the panel that Brexit presents Anguilla with a unique and complex set of challenges as Anguilla, like Gibraltar, has a direct border with the EU through French St. Martin, which is part of metropolitan France. He informed the panel that the EU is the only significant source of Anguilla’s developmental aid.
Anguilla’s London office had produced an extensive White Paper entitled “Anguilla & Brexit-Britain’s Forgotten EU Border.” The paper was well received by the panel together with written evidence in support of the Chief Minister’s response. The White Paper had been produced after undertaking considerable research in the UK, Anguilla and the EU, and not only set out the facts and circumstances of Anguilla, but included an analysis of the impact of Brexit on government, institutions and individuals culminating in a Blue Print for negotiations between the UK and EU on behalf of Anguilla in which the advantages for each side in resolving Anguilla’s plight are set out.
On Monday evening, Cluff represented Anguilla at a dinner attended by the new Foreign Office Minister of State Lord Ahmad, and the Undersecretary of State for Exiting Europe Robin Walker. Cluff presented the paper to both departments and was encouraged to continue the work of presenting Anguilla’s case to the EU Commission.
During the week Banks and his team are scheduled to attend a series of meetings including a pre-joint ministerial meeting on Brexit. Various meetings relating to health and transportation are also planned. The group will visit the Anguillian community in Slough where views on Brexit will be presented.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/67591-chief-minister-continues-talks-in-london-on-brexit
View comments
Hide comments