The Editor
The Anguillian
Dear Sir,
TO GOD BE THE GLORY, SANK WAS
FOUND ALIVE
It was a rough afternoon for most Anguillians, last Thursday, as the sad news about the Fisheries Department men being in trouble at sea spread like wild fire. Truth and untruth alike, I knew not what to believe, but was certain something terribly wrong had occurred.
It was difficult to understand what was happening, and even harder to understand the truth as no one could say for sure what was taking place. Then it was that Randall “Sank”Richardsonhad been doing work at sea and could not be found. It was a sad evening. Concerned persons from throughout the island joined his co-workers in desperation to find him but due to weather conditions the search to find him, was called off late that evening – and continued very early on Friday morning when he was found, soon after the search began, alive and in high spirit.
As Sank says, the tide took him away from where he was and he could not see the boat because the weather had changed and made it hard for him to do anything.
Amidst the terrible news, when all should be praying for Sank’s safety, there were those who had negative things to say about his co-workers, on radio and in public, blaming them for whatever took place at sea. How many of us who said cruel things have listened to Sank’s story and asked to be pardoned for the judgment passed before he was found? In times like these we need to look out for each other and not raise ourselves up by bringing others down.
Sank’s story is similar to that of Sam Webster and also that of Kitto. We depend on family and friends for fish on a daily basis. We do not know who will be next. The sea doesn’t have anything to hold on to when crisis takes place. Only the grace of God can help us when we are cast into the depths of the ocean. So when incidents like these take place, most times it’s more than one person and, if there are survivors, whoever lives get the blame for who did not make it – which is a bad thing among us.
Persons with radios, licensed or unlicensed at home, pick up the call that there is trouble on sea whether it be our own or those sailing around the islands. There is need for a community base where these people can call in times of emergencies. It’s not fair for them to have to license their fishing equipment and when in distress don’t know if their call for help will be heard.
Before casting judgment we need to see where positive criticism can be of much support, and help to get this country forward and up to the times – instead of dragging our feet and keeping each other down.
Fishing family member
