In parting messages, Anguilla’s former government ministers have thanked their supporters, expressed pride in their achievements and shared hopes for the future.
They insisted that the “work is never truly complete” and asked the new Anguilla United Front administration to carry forward the progress made during their time in office.
Kenneth Hodge, Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers and Quincia Gumbs-Marie of the Anguilla Progressive Movement lost their seats in the Anguilla House of Assembly on 26 February.
Left to carry the party’s banner are Ellis Webster, former premier, health and finance minister, and Haydn Hughes, former minister of infrastructure, communications, utilities, housing and tourism.
They will represent their respective districts on the opposition bench – but will also no longer hold ministerial portfolios.
‘Incredible honour’
Kenneth Hodge, former minister of home affairs, immigration, labour, constitutional affairs, information and broadcasting, lands and physical planning, said his heart was full of “gratitude and humility”.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page on 27 February, he said: “It has been an incredible honour and privilege to serve as an elected member.
“From the very beginning of my tenure, I have been inspired by your unwavering spirit, resilience, and dedication to the progress and well-being of our beloved Anguilla.
“Your trust and support have been the cornerstone of my journey. Each day, I have been motivated by the collective strength and unity of our community.
“Together, we have worked tirelessly to overcome challenges and seize opportunities, always striving for the betterment of our island.”
Hodge said he is deeply thankful for the opportunity to have been a part of such meaningful and transformative work.
He spoke of some of the policies and initiatives his former ministry spearheaded such as the first minimum wage, a pension plan for the private sector and a training fund for private sector workers.
“Our achievements are a testament to what can be accomplished when we come together with a shared vision and a common purpose,” he said.
The former minister said he was also proud to have made a contribution in an initiative towards tackling crime on the island by funding a training intervention for teachers, parents and other stakeholders.
He thanked the former premier Ellis Webster, his colleagues, public servants, community leaders, and volunteers for their contributions and the people of Anguilla for their guidance.
“As I reflect on the journey we have taken together, I am filled with pride for the strides we have made. Yet, I am also reminded that the work is never truly complete,” he said.
“The torch of progress must always be carried forward, and it is my deepest hope that the path we have paved will lead to even greater accomplishments for generations to come.”
Journey not over
Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers, former minister of education and social development, also said she was full of gratitude and love for those who cast votes for her.
“I know, the road ahead may not be the one we imagined, but let me tell you this – our journey is far from over,” she said.
“We’ve built something beautiful, something strong, something that cannot be torn down by a single election or even a change of hands.
“I want to thank each and every one of you who walked this path with me. You believed in the work we set out to do together.”
She said she is not leaving behind the vision the former administration crafted for the island and is carrying it with her.
Kentish-Rogers wrote a list of requests for the new government:
- My hope is that you will still develop that airport.
- You will still follow the plan to tear up those dirt roads and replace them with something that reflects our pride, our progress.
- That you will still build a food security plan so that no one goes hungry in a land as rich as ours.
- You will still pass that climate change policy, because the earth that feeds us deserves our protection.
- I have no doubt that the festivals commission act will rise, as will the spirit of our people, our culture, our joy. Our children will still see a brighter future – one where they are healed, nurtured, and given second chances through the passage of the draft rehabilitation of young offenders act.
- That you will allow them to sprint on tracks we built for them with your support of our bid for the Project 10 Qatar-funded programme. That you will allow them to race boats across our waters, finally including our national sport in their day to day lives.
- That you will still carve out our plan for green spaces in every community, a place where we can all breathe, sit, and gather.
- And yes, that school lunch programme? It will reach VPS if you continue it, because our children deserve to be nourished, both in mind and body.
- That you will still take action on the education task force report, because our children deserve a future that is brighter, fuller, and more complete.
- That you will continue to pay down our debt, allowing this island to reach financial independence in 2026, and we will no longer need the UK’s approval to define our future.
- That you will continue to work toward a national health insurance programme that supports everyone – especially those who are often forgotten: our disabled community, our young people, our working families, our elders, our neighbours.
- And above all, that you will never forget the power of our smallest, youngest minds. Learning through play, through curiosity – this is how we grow, this is how we build the future.
Quincia Gumbs-Marie, former minister of sustainability, innovation and the environment, is yet to release a public statement.
