Fuel surcharge relief
The government is seeking an extra $9.18m to continue its fuel surcharge relief programme, which has provided about $22.5m in direct electricity bill support from April to August.
Support for September to December power usage is forecast to cost a further $12.54m, bringing cumulative electricity relief to about $35.04m by the end of the year.
Under revised arrangements, households, apartments, public services and eligible shops will continue contributing 42 cents per kilowatt hour to ANGLEC for the fuel surcharge.
Other eligible commercial customers will see their contribution rise from 42 cents per kWh in September to 52 cents in October, then 65 cents in November and December.
Hotels, villas, guest houses and associated tourist accommodation accounts will be outside the support programme.
By the end of 2026, Anguilla’s overall fuel subsidy support, including electricity relief and tax and customs concessions on fuel, is expected to total $53.61m.
Overseas medical treatment
The supplementary budget includes an additional $2.4m for overseas medical treatment – a total of $5.4m in supplementary funding this year – bringing the allocation to about $8.84m.
Despite the increases, spending on overseas treatment is expected to exceed $10m by the end of 2026, with the additional costs partly covered through reallocations within the existing budget.
The premier said the funding helps eligible patients access necessary care overseas, with medical advances provided subject to assessment and approval, alongside accounting and repayment where required.
“Compassion and accountability are not competing principles. Both are necessary if the programme is to continue helping people who need it,” she said.
The repeated need for additional funding highlights the importance of developing a national health insurance scheme, the premier, who also serves as finance minister, added.
The spending also provides for three additional health service positions – one internist and two pharmacists, increasing the complement of internists from two to three and pharmacists from four to six.
Cinnamon Reef
The government is seeking $16m to help resolve the long-running Cinnamon Reef dispute with the Anguilla Social Security Board.
The matter dates back to the acquisition of the Little Harbour property by the Anguilla Social Security Investment and Development Corporation (ASSIDCO).
The investment subsidiary of the Social Security Board bought Cinnamon Reef in 2009 entered into a lease and purchase arrangement with the government the following year.
The arrangement did not proceed as originally anticipated following the global economic downturn, leaving financial and property matters unresolved for years.
The government is working towards a negotiated settlement that would allow the Social Security Board to recover its verified net investment and bring the property into government ownership.
The $16m is a partial budgetary provision rather than a final settlement figure, with any agreement subject to verification, negotiation, legal advice and the necessary approvals.
UK office
The supplementary budget includes $11.8m towards the proposed purchase of permanent premises for Anguilla’s office in the UK.
A non-binding offer has been accepted on a property in London and the government is carrying out due diligence before deciding whether to proceed with the acquisition.
The purchase remains subject to satisfactory legal and technical checks, a contract and the necessary approvals, with completion targeted before the end of 2026.
The premier said a permanent office would strengthen Anguilla’s representation in the UK by supporting engagement with the government, parliament and organisations on issues affecting the island.
It could also help build connections with Anguillians living in the UK and create opportunities for cooperation in education, investment, professional development and information technology, she said.
The $11.8m provision is not a completed purchase, and the premier said the decision must take account of the full cost, ongoing expenses and the value the property would deliver.
Financial services unit
The premier’s supplementary budget speech also outlined plans to establish a Financial Services Development and Promotion Unit within the Ministry of Finance, creating three new posts.
The positions will be a director, a financial services development officer and a financial services promotion officer.
The unit will research market opportunities, work with industry and identify ways to strengthen and promote Anguilla’s financial services sector, the premier said.
It will work with the Financial Services Commission, the Attorney General’s Chambers and other relevant agencies, while the commission retains its independent regulatory responsibilities.
Richardson Hodge said a stronger sector could create skilled jobs for Anguillians and help diversify the economy beyond tourism.
The salaries for the new positions will be covered by savings within the ministry’s existing personnel budget for the current year, with future costs considered through the normal budget process.
