THE VALLEY, Anguilla, Sept 30 – The laying off of some workers at the island’s banking institution has caused some jitters among the members of the private sector labor force on the island. Word came out this week that some employers at the indigenous Caribbean Commercial Bank have been told their services are no longer required.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming, speaking at his weekly media briefing, said some persons have been laid off at various institutions while the work hours for other employees have been cut.

Asked to comment directly on the situation at the Caribbean Commercial Bank, Fleming said the decision to lay off workers rests with the manager and persons in administration who are in charge of the day-to-day business of the institution.

Fleming, who currently serves as chairman of the Caribbean Commercial Bank, said it is not the responsibility of the chairman or directors but rather the manager for the evaluation and administration of the bank.

Fleming, who also has responsibility for labor in Anguilla, pointed out that there have also been some layoffs in the hotel sector. He noted that while painful, decisions must be made if businesses are to survive in the current economic downturn.

The government leader also made reference to Puerto Rico where he said some 15,000 government workers have been laid off and expressed the hope his administration will not have to make a similar decision.

Meanwhile, Opposition parliamentarian Hubert Hughes told media representatives Tuesday that some board members in the locally-owned banks on the island hold top positions in other jobs which is a direct conflict of interest.

Hughes said he is concerned about the retrenchment of workers at the banks. He said it is no surprise there is not much work on the island, making reference to the fact that the Minister of Labor can determine who works.

The former chief minister said most of the work is happening on the western end of island.

Hughes said a number of Indian nationals are working in jobs that Anguillians have done for the last 50 years. According to Hughes some of the Indian nationals working on the Viceroy project are intellectuals with persons doing plastering holding a bachelors, masters and even doctorate degrees. Hughes said some of them are architects and he believes this poses some danger to the fabric of the Anguillian society.

He said the Indians come from a culture where a great deal of emphasis is placed on education and competition.

THE VALLEY, Anguilla, Sept. 30 – Government leaders expect to get word Wednesday from Britain on whether they have been granted permission to borrow EC$49 million to finance capital projects on the island.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming told reporters on Tuesday that government is in an uncomfortable position as it is unable to address a number of capital projects in Anguilla.

“The reason why we are so concerned about hearing what will come out of London is because as the weeks go by the financial crisis in Anguilla worsens. We were very fortunate to have been able to pay all our civil servants and statutory bodies for the month of September. We told the nation there was a possibility that we might not have been able to do so, however we did,” Fleming said.

He said it is not the intention of government to alarm anyone, but we that the response we get from Britain “will be one that we expect or else we will be a serious position as of the end of October.”

Finance Minister Victor Banks said he was optimistic about the response from Britain, but he believes it is time for Anguillians to change their way of thinking.

“We have got to begin to change the way we do things in Anguilla. We cannot continue with the belief that every time we need something we have to look to the British for it, every time we need to make a decision that the British government has got to be involved and the delay the process over six and seven months. That is not acceptable,” Banks said.

He said in critical times like these when the government of Anguilla needs to meet urgent requirements for creating not only economic and financial but social stability “

Finance Minister Victor Banks

Government leaders say revenue is not performing sufficiently in order for the administration to meet expenses at the end of September. According to Fleming what is needed is an injection of money to stimulate the economy and put Anguilla back on its feet.

THE VALLEY, Anguilla, Sept 26 – Government’s top legal adviser says a report by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is due out next week.

Attorney General Wilhelm Bourne made the disclosure during latest sitting of the Anguilla House of Assembly. Bourne said the report, following a two-week review by a regional Financial Action Task Force team in July, will be out on October 2.

The team conducted a comprehensive review of Anguilla’s anti-money laundering and terrorist financing risk management structure and the adequacy of the government structure for such risk management.

The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force is an organisation of 30 regional nations and territories with the objective of combating money laundering and terrorist financing.

The group is an associate member of the Global Financial Action Task Force.

THE VALLEY, Anguilla, Sept 24 – The Anguilla government has staved off -at least for now – the embarrassment of not being able to pay civil servants for September because of what administration officials are hailing as ‘creative initiatives’ by the Ministry of Finance.

Government ministers indicated last week that the Treasury might not have been in a position to pay public workers this month and even sent a letter expressing the grave financial situation to officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London.

Officials here said they expect a reply from London this week.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming however told reporters during his weekly media briefing that salaries will be paid for September.

“As a matter of fact, salaries has gone down to bank, all stakeholders will be paid to the end of September,” Fleming said.

Fleming was uncertain what would happen for the rest of the year.

He said in order to meet salary obligations for September the authorities used their experience to arrive at a position where they got the money to pay the civil servants.

“I sought to extract from the Minister of Finance Victor Banks the creativity deployed by his ministry to ensure civil servants will be paid in September,” Fleming said.

According to Banks the Treasury would have certain funds available in banks, we had some overdraft facilities that we recalled, we also had some revenue that was coming in,” Banks said.

The Anguilla government recently passed a resolution in the House of Assembly to borrow EC$49 million to deal with the current financial situation. But the administration has to get the blessing of the British government to borrow the money.

Fleming

THE VALLEY, Anguilla, Sept 20 – Essentials Stationery Store and Allied Insurance Limited have agreed to host the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s ‘After Hours’ event later this week, according to the Chamber Executive Director.

Calvin Bartlett confirmed that the two local business enterprises will host the new chamber initiative during the organisation’s weekly radio information programme on the government-operated Radio Anguilla.

Heather Wallace, manager of Essentials Stationery Store, is encouraging Chamber members and business representatives to attend the the event. According to Wallace Essentials focus has always been to provide the best lines and high quality products at the most competitive prices.

The Anguilla Chamber has launched an earnest appeal to get more business outlets on the island to join the organisation. Wallace has also made an appeal to persons to get involved and for them to work together.

Sandra Lovell, head of the Allied Insurance company, said in addition to meeting and sharing ideas with prospective clients, members and customers, the “After Hours” event offers a great opportunity for making new contacts and showcasing products and services.

Lovell said as a member of Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry, her company is privileged to be part of the network and to be involved in the ‘After Hours’ meeting.

The topic for discussion is ‘Women in Business.’ It will be held at the Allied Insurance company headquarters in George Hill on September 23.

THE VALLEY, Anguilla, Sept 18 – Finance Minister Victor Banks says there must be a regional approach during the current global economic recession.

Banks believes it is important for the islands to get together and develop a common strategy to deal with the issues.

He says fiscal reform, debt management, public sector investment programmes, social safety net and financial programmes are some of the key areas which need to be addressed in the formulation of a common strategy in the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU) region.

For almost two weeks, officials from the Ministry of Finance involved in a fiscal strategy boot camp held in St Kitts. The local team included Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Finance Dr Wycliffe Fahie, Comptroller of Inland Revenue Gecheal Richardson-Gumbs and Chief Projectg Officer Althea Ippenson.

Also participating in the Basseterre meeting was the Permanent Secretary – Ministry of Finance Kathleen Rogers and Carl Harrigan, Director on the ECCB Board.

Representatives from the National Bank of Anguilla and the Caribbean Commercial Bank, two local indigenous financial institutions, also attended the workshop.

Banks is currently in St Kitts for a meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Monetary Council and regional Finance Ministers.