MR RIDLEY'S VISIT TO ANGUILLA JANUARY 1981
ANGUILLA ACT 1980: BACKGROUND BRIEF AND SHORT HISTORY
1. The Anguilla Act, formally separating Anguilla from the Associated State of St Kitts - Nevis Anguilla, came into 'effect on 19 December.
The legislation, as anticipated, proyed not to be controversial and the debates in both Houses were colourful but not contentious.
2.
The Act finally resolved a difficult and unsatisfactory situation which had existed for nearly fourteen years since Anguilla rebelled against the St Kitts Government after the formation of the Associated State early in 1967 and which had defied repeated attempts at solution by successive British Governments. But the passing of the Act also recognises an antipathy between Anguilla and St Kitts of much longer standing
as a result of which the Government in Basseterre had never been able satisfactorily to impose their authority on the Anguillans (70 miles away).
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3. Although this was a situation which Robert Bradshaw, when Premier of St Kitts, could never accept (especially as his objective was to bring St Kitts Nevis - - Anguilla to independence as a unitary state) his successors recognised it as a fact of life after Mr Bradshaw's death in 1978. They consequently agreed to the principle of Anguilla'a formal separation from the Associated State which had always, in any case, been a practical necessity before St Kitts - Nevis could proceed to independence.
4.
Following constitutional discussion with St Kitts (Labour Party) Government representatives, led by Premier Lee Moore, in London in December 1979, agreement was reached on a timetable for independence for the Associated State as a preliminary to which the St Kitts Government would, through their own legislature, facilitate the separation, of Anguilla early in 1980. The Anguillans were informed accordingly by
However, Lee Moore's defeat in the general election he
HMG.
ONEIDENTI AT.
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