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Caribbean Islands
Index
The British Virgin Islands had a highly stable two-party system
in the late 1980s. One observer has called the territory a haven of
political tranquillity with little apparent interest in political
activity, virtually immune to the political, social, and economic
pressures that beset the region.
H. Lavity Stoutt, leader of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP),
became the islands' first chief minister in April 1967. In a 1975
election, Stoutt's party and the rival United Party (UP) each won
three of the seven elective seats on the Legislative Council.
Willard Wheatley, then an independent, won the last seat and held
the balance of power. He served as chief minister, with Stoutt as
deputy chief minister.
In the first election held under the new Constitution (of June
1, 1977), in November 1979, independent candidates won five of the
nine (increased from seven) elective seats, and the VIP won the
other four. Stoutt became chief minister. In the November 1983
election, the VIP and the UP, the latter then headed by Wheatley,
each gained four seats. The one successful independent candidate,
Cyril Romney, became chief minister and formed a coalition
government with the UP. In September 1986, Stoutt again became
chief minister as the VIP captured a majority in the Legislative
Council elections.
These transfers of power did not result in great changes in
policy. There was real reluctance among the populace to discuss
independence or constitutional change. Most citizens apparently
preferred continued affiliation with Britain.
Since Anguilla's 1969 secession from St. Kitts and Nevis,
politics on the island has been a contest between Ronald Webster,
who led the secession, and his political rivals. In the mid-1980s,
the territory's two major parties--the Anguilla Democratic Party
and the rival Anguilla National Alliance--had no real policy
differences. Both supported continued affiliation with Britain.
In the March 1976 House of Assembly elections, Webster, then
head of the PPP, won and was appointed chief minister. In February
1977, Webster lost a motion of confidence, and Emile Gumbs replaced
him as chief minister and as leader of the PPP (renamed the
Anguilla National Alliance in 1980). Webster returned to power at
the head of the recently formed Anguilla United Party in a May 1980
general election. In 1981, after political friction within the
House of Assembly, Webster formed yet another party, the Anguilla
People's Party (APP), and won that June's election. An early
general election was held in March 1984, which resulted in the
ANA's capturing of four of the seven House of Assembly seats.
Evidently, Webster's plan to cut dependency on Britain by reducing
British aid and increasing internal taxes had proved highly
unpopular.
Gumbs became chief minister after the 1984 election and, under
great popular pressure, abandoned Webster's tax plan. He then
emphasized a policy of revitalizing the island's economy through
tourism and foreign investment. Webster resigned from the
leadership of the APP, since renamed the Anguilla Democratic Party
(ADP). New party leader Victor Black vowed to resist any attempt by
Webster to regain control of the ADP.
Although the majority of the population expressed no desire for
independence, in 1985 the new government did request and was
granted wider powers for the Executive Council. It also asked
Britain for more aid and investment.
Anguillians have traditionally had high economic expectations
and until the mid-1980s strongly favored economic development. At
that point, doubts arose over three issues. One was the
uncontrolled growth of foreign-owned villas, which caused soaring
beachside real estate prices. Anguilla responded with strict height
and size regulations and new restrictions on expatriate land sales.
Second, debate raged over whether or not to allow casino
operations. One minister resigned over the proposal, and it
appeared that casino development would not proceed in deeply
religious Anguilla. Finally, the island increased offshore
financial activity, only to find fee income low and both the
British Treasury and the United States Internal Revenue Service
concerned about suspect operations, particularly the "laundering"
of money from drug trafficking.
In September 1984, a United Nations (UN) decolonization mission
made one of its periodic visits to assess island attitudes toward
possible independence. Summarizing current sentiments on Anguilla,
the mission noted general dissatisfaction with economic conditions
and the limits of self-rule under the existing Constitution.
Nevertheless, the report concluded: "While independence remains an
ultimate aim for Anguilla, there was a genuine apprehension among
the people of the territory that independence without a substantial
measure of economic viability might, in fact, place Anguilla in a
new situation of external dependence on one land or another."
In the 1970s and 1980s, Montserratian politics were dominated
by Austin Bramble, leader of the Progressive Democratic Party
(PDP), and John Osborne, head of the People's Liberation Movement
(PLM). Bramble served as chief minister for eight years beginning
in 1970. In November 1978, however, he was replaced by Osborne as
the PLM captured all seven elective seats in the Legislative
Council. Osborne's control of the chief minister's post was
ratified on two subsequent occasions. The PLM won five seats in the
February 1983 election and four in the August 1987 election. The
latter ballot marked the first electoral effort of the National
Democratic Party (NDP). The NDP, which was headed by Bertrand
Osborne, won two seats on the Legislative Council.
Although personality issues appeared to dominate Montserratian
politics, some policy distinctions among the parties could be
identified. The PLM supported independence, a position rejected by
both the PDP and the NDP. In the 1970s and early 1980s, the only
party advocating independence was the United National Front, a
small movement headed by George Irish, leader of the Montserrat
Allied Workers Union. In 1984, however, John Osborne startled
Montserratians by suddenly calling for independence. Osborne's
proposal was rooted in his anger over the British veto of
Montserrat's participation in the Caribbean Peace Force dispatched
to Grenada. Although intervention in Grenada was popular with most
citizens on Montserrat, independence was not. As a consequence,
Osborne promised that no decision on independence would be made
until a referendum was held.
The PLM, PDP, and NDP also differed on economic development
strategies. In the early 1980s, the government unveiled a
multimillion-dollar casino and hotel development plan for the
northern side of the island. The plan was strongly criticized by
the PLM's opponents, who argued unsuccessfully that the measure
should be put to a referendum. The situation became quite
complicated in 1984 when two different Miami-based development
companies each claimed that they had been granted rights to the
casino and hotel project. In a strange twist, Bramble and his
brother were arrested by the Palm Beach, Florida, police on
burglary charges, while allegedly seeking a videotaped deposition
on the matter made by a government official. In mid-1987 the PDP
and the NDP were accusing the government of mismanaging the
development project and the overall economy.
Data as of November 1987
- Caribbean Islands-Historical Background
- Caribbean Islands-Prosperity and Government Centralization, 1974-81
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Agriculture
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands-Tourism
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: Turks and Caicos Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Chapter 7 - Strategic and Regional Security Perspectives
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands-Labor Force and Industrial Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands-Growth and Structure of the Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-A Regional Security System
- Caribbean Islands-Tourism
- Caribbean Islands-Other Third World Relations
- Caribbean Islands-SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Balance of Payments and Debt
- Caribbean Islands-HEALTH AND WELFARE
- Caribbean Islands-ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands-FOREIGN RELATIONS
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-Manufacturing
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with the Commonwealth and Others
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: St - Christopher and Nevis ST - CHRISTOPHER AND NEVIS
- Caribbean Islands-The Penal System
- Caribbean Islands-The Soviet Presence
- Caribbean Islands-Colonial Heritage HISTORICAL SETTING
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: Antigua and Barbuda ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
- Caribbean Islands-The Public Security Forces
- Caribbean Islands-Political Systems
- Caribbean Islands-EDUCATION
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with Latin American and Caribbean Countries
- Caribbean Islands-Changes in the Social Base of Political Power POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE
- Caribbean Islands-POPULATION
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with the United States
- Caribbean Islands-Livestock, Fishing, and Forestry
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-ECONOMY
- Caribbean Islands-Banking and Finance
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-NATIONAL SECURITY
- Caribbean Islands-Agricultural Sector
- Caribbean Islands-The Barbados Defence Force
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-The Police
- Caribbean Islands-The Robinson Government
- Caribbean Islands-United States Preeminence
- Caribbean Islands-External Sector
- Caribbean Islands-Energy
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-POLITICAL TRADITIONS
- Caribbean Islands-THE STRATEGIC SETTING
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Trade and Balance of Payments
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Trade and Balance of Payments
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands-Livestock, Fishing, and Forestry
- Caribbean Islands-Industrial Sector
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with the Commonwealth and Others
- Caribbean Islands-THE COLONIAL PERIOD
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with Communist Countries
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands-GEOGRAPHIC SETTING
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands-Macroeconomic Overview
- Caribbean Islands-Sectoral Performance
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands-Natural Gas
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Incidence of Crime
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: Barbados BARBADOS
- Caribbean Islands-The Road to Independence
- Caribbean Islands-PREFACE
- Caribbean Islands -CHAPTER 3 - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
- Caribbean Islands-Services
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Trade and Balance of Payments
- Caribbean Islands-World War II
- Caribbean Islands-External Sector
- Caribbean Islands-EDUCATION
- Caribbean Islands-Foreword
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-The Postwar Strategic Vacuum
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-Regional Security Threats, 1970-81
- Caribbean Islands-Controversial Security Issues
- Caribbean Islands-HEALTH AND WELFARE
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Assistance
- Caribbean Islands-Chapter 4 - The Windward Islands and Barbados
- Caribbean Islands-ECONOMY
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Banking, Financial Services, and Currency
- Caribbean Islands-HISTORICAL SETTING
- Caribbean Islands-Education SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS, 1800-1960
- Caribbean Islands-The Post-Williams Era, 1981-86
- Caribbean Islands-The Armed Forces
- Caribbean Islands-Chapter 6 - The Northern Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with the United States
- Caribbean Islands-Sectoral Performance
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Finance and Banking
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: CAYMAN ISLANDS BRITISH DEPENDENCIES: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS AND THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Services
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-Land Tenure and Use
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: MONTSERRAT
- Caribbean Islands-Growth and Structure of the Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Transportation, Communications, and Electricity
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands-Petroleum and Asphalt
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Macroeconomic Overview
- Caribbean Islands-The Pre-European Population HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SETTING
- Caribbean Islands-Macroeconomic Overview
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: The Bahamas THE BAHAMAS
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Crops
- Caribbean Islands-National Income and Public Finance
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: Dominica DOMINICA
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands-Trade and Finance
- Caribbean Islands-Chapter 1 - Regional Overview
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Labor Organizations
- Caribbean Islands-Revenues
- Caribbean Islands-THE REGIONAL SECURITY SETTING
- Caribbean Islands-Construction
- Caribbean Islands-Manufacturing
- Caribbean Islands-Agriculture
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-ISLANDS OF THE COMMONWEALTH CARIBBEAN
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Political Dynamics
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with Latin American and Caribbean Countries
- Caribbean Islands-National Security
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-COUNTRY PROFILE: ANGUILLA
- Caribbean Islands-NATIONAL SECURITY
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-THE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS
- Caribbean Islands-Balance of Payments and Debt
- Caribbean Islands-INTRODUCTION
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Relations
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Banking and Finance
- Caribbean Islands-Current Strategic Considerations
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Narcotics Crime
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Petrochemicals
- Caribbean Islands-Sectoral Performance
- Caribbean Islands-POPULATION
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-The Post-Emancipation Societies
- Caribbean Islands-The West Indies Federation, 1957-62
- Caribbean Islands-Relations with the United States, Britain, and Canada FOREIGN RELATIONS
- Caribbean Islands-Sectoral Performance
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Crops
- Caribbean Islands-National Income and Public Finance
- Caribbean Islands-Sectoral Performance
- Caribbean Islands-Precursors of Independence
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-The Criminal Justice System
- Caribbean Islands-GEOGRAPHY
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands-Banking and Finance
- Caribbean Islands-Economic Policy and Management
- Caribbean Islands-Foreign Trade and Balance of Payments
- Caribbean Islands-Political Unrest and Economic Troubles, 1970-73
- Caribbean Islands-Education
- Caribbean Islands-Labor Force and Industrial Relations
- Caribbean Islands-Chapter 5 - The Leeward Islands
- Caribbean Islands -Chapter 2 - Jamaica
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-The Governmental System GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
- Caribbean Islands-The Sugar Revolutions and Slavery
- Caribbean Islands-Macroeconomic Overview
- Caribbean Islands-The Cuban Presence
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Land Tenure and Use
- Caribbean Islands-Macroeconomic Overview
- Caribbean Islands-Role of Government
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands-The Governmental System GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
- Caribbean Islands-Economy
- Caribbean Islands-Industry
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-The Increased Role of the United States
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-Transportation and Communications
- Caribbean Islands-Country profile: Grenada GRENADA
- Caribbean Islands-Iron and Steel
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Banking and Finance
- Caribbean Islands-Postwar Federation Efforts
- Caribbean Islands-Health and Welfare
- Caribbean Islands-Government and Politics
- Caribbean Islands
- Caribbean Islands-Population
- Caribbean Islands-GEOGRAPHY
- Caribbean Islands-Industry
- Caribbean Islands-Consolidation and Economic Hardship, 1962-69
- Caribbean Islands-Patterns of Development
- Caribbean Islands-Geography
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