29 January, 2005 - Published 17:59 GMT

Anguillans go to polls

Anguillans will elect a new government on February 21.

Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming, who announced the election date on Friday, said he was confident his Anguilla National Alliance party would retain control of the British territory's government.

He said nominations must be submitted February 8.

Mr. Fleming's party currently has four seats in the House of Assembly. The opposition Anguilla United Front has two, and two are independent.

Seven seats of the House of Assembly are up for grabs in the territory of 13,000 residents. The other four assembly members are appointed.

Fleming confident

The Britain-appointed governor chooses three, including one in consultation with the opposition. The ruling party chooses the fourth.

So far, 23 people have said they will run, including five from the ruling party, four from the United Front party and four from the opposition Anguilla Strategic Alliance party. The rest are independent.

Opposition leader Edison Baird, who was elected to the House five years ago as an independent but is now running on a Strategic Alliance ticket, has accused the government of not being transparent enough in explaining the benefits of its infrastructure projects for ordinary citizens.

Mr. Fleming said his administration had fulfilled its promise to "improve the economic and social well-being of the people."

"Anguilla today is visibly different than it was five years ago," he told cheering supporters during the inauguration of the newly renovated Wallblack Airport, a showpiece government project that cost US$25 million.