James Ronald Webster
(2 March 19269 December 2016) was a politician from
Anguilla
Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands and directly north of Saint Martin. The terr ...
. After ending the
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (or Saint Christopher, Nevis, and Anguilla) was a British colony in the West Indies from 1882 to 1983, consisting of the islands of Anguilla (until 1980), Nevis, and Saint Christopher (or Saint Kitts). From 1882 ...
federation in 1967, he served as the island territory's first Chief Minister from 10 February 1976 to 1 February 1977 and again from May 1980 to 12 March 1984.
Webster was one of 8 children to survive infancy, out a family total of 16 children. He worked in a dairy farm-factory on Saint Martin for 27 years. The owner and wife treated him as a son and left Webster with their entire estate, a small fortune. Webster returned to Anguilla in 1960 to find the island without electricity, paved streets or telephones.
Prior to serving as Chief Minister, Webster was designated Chairman of the Anguilla Island Council when the territory declared its
independence
Independence is a condition of a person, nation, country, or state in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the stat ...
from the
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
Saint Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla (or Saint Christopher, Nevis, and Anguilla) was a British colony in the West Indies from 1882 to 1983, consisting of the islands of Anguilla (until 1980), Nevis, and Saint Christopher (or Saint Kitts). From 1882 ...
government in 1967, through the ''Anguillan Revolution'' which he led. Anguillans forced the Saint Kitts officials and police off of the island, due to alleged mistreatment of the public and governmental misuse of funds (as an example, Anguilla received financial assistance from Canada to build a pier on the island; the money was sent to the central government on Saint Kitts, and a pier was built - on Saint Kitts).
In a referendum held on 11 July the inhabitants of Anguilla voted overwhelmingly to secede from the Associated State and to become a separate colony of Britain. Britain sent an advisor, Tony Lee, to exercise an "interim basic administrative authority" in conjunction with Ronald Webster, from January 1968 to January 1969; St. Kitts refused to extend the interim agreement and the British authorities left. In February 1969 islanders voted again to remain separate from Saint Kitts and Nevis and to become an " independent republic" with Webster leading the council.
British Junior Minister William Whitlock from the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
arrived in March 1969 to establish another "interim agreement", and was expelled within hours of arrival. Eight days later 315 British paratroopers and two frigates arrived to "restore order". Tony Lee was installed as a Commissioner for local administration. Webster left the island.
An interim agreement in 1971 was followed by a new constitution in 1976 with Webster becoming the first Chief Minister after his People's Progressive Party won the 1976 election; following a no-confidence vote supported by his fellow ministers, he was removed in 1977. In 1980 Anguilla was formally separated from
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Kitts and Nevis (), officially the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis, is an island country and microstate consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain ...
and became a British colony again, with Webster returning as Chief Minister when his
Anguilla United Movement
The Anguilla Progressive Movement is a political party in Anguilla
Anguilla ( ) is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is one of the most northerly of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles, lying east of Puerto Rico ...
Anguilla United Party
The Anguilla Progressive Movement is a political party in Anguilla. The party was named the Anguilla United Movement until being rebranded in 2019 alongside new leaders and colours.1989 election.
He wrote his "Farewell Letter" which is a motivating story of his life and times. This letter was read at his grave by his wife. English and translated version (Hindi) was published in the most read newspaper of Anguilla, ''The Anguillian''.Revolutionary Leader, the late Mr. James Ronald Webster's Farewell Letter: First Translation into Hindi by Sandeep Sharma /ref>
Webster's birthday, 2 March, has been celebrated as a public holiday in Anguilla since its proclamation in 2010.