Over the past week there has been much talk about Youth and Violence in our community. And much pain and anguish as a consequence of actions that have led to the death of a number of our young people. It is not only the recent deaths and the injuries to young lives that concern us, but the ongoing pattern of violent behaviour that has plagued our society for many years as well. I believe that I made my position very clear – in my several utterances, letters and articles over the past week – that the way forward must be devoid of politics and partisan behaviour and, most of all, that the community must adopt a unified approach avoiding the apportioning of blame to any individual or group.
I must admit that I have been very disappointed with a number of comments that have come from various quarters, but I will keep my pledge and avoid the temptation to engage in any form of exchange in such a “highly charged” environment. Some of these negative statements have been made in public forums while others have been “shoo-shooed” about the island. Fortunately, there have also been statements that suggest that there are many sensible persons in all of the communities who understand that this cycle of violence will not end without temperance and reasoned interventions. I am hoping that as time progresses we will be able as a community, and as Leaders, to put aside “foolish things” and recognize that we must take responsibility for this situation and devise effective solutions. It must be the number one national priority!
Neither do I want to become so immersed in this issue that I appear uncaring about my good friend Bernard “Ipah” Phillips who was found dead at his residence, in Rey Hill, on Tuesday morning. It is a sad reflection of the times that the first reaction from many persons, who heard of this sad event, was to ask: “who killed him?” I am relieved to say that there have been no reports of violence and/or foul play in his untimely death. May his soul rest in peace!
But while this is a period characterized by disappointment and outrage over the conduct of our young people, I believe that it is necessary to make the point that these are not the only young people that comprise our island. After all, just a few months ago the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School decisively won the Leeward Islands Debating Competition. The performance of those students demonstrates that our system is capable of producing outstanding citizens, sound professionals, and capable leaders for the future. Every year our students who have been studying at tertiary institutions in the region, and the world, graduate with distinction ready to hold their own in their areas of specialization in or out of Anguilla. Just recently I have been proud to attend ceremonies when a number of our young womenhave been called to the Bar in the OECS Circuit Court.
These young people went to the same schools, and came from the same villages, as many of the youngsters who are now the perpetrators of violence on the island. Where did we, or the system go wrong? How were the teachers and parents not able to keep this group on a positive path? The truth is: the violent elements among the Youth are actually in the minority. Yet their actions have an impact disproportionate to their size and number. An impact that has the potential to destroy Anguilla!
But the act of highlighting academics is not to suggest that this is the only avenue to building and enhancing the caliber of our young people. While we wait, with much anticipation, for the CXC and CAPE results at the end of the year, we can also get similar satisfaction from our students in the various sports that are a part of our curriculum. All of these Sports build positive attitudes in our young people, but they also provide the opportunity,even if they do not pursue sports as a career, to open them up to scholarship grants in areas of their choosing. Mitchelle Lake, Damien Hughes and Sean Romney are young men who benefitted from such opportunities through Tennis. They are now wholesome young men who, having successfully achieved their goals, are now dedicating themselves in different ways “to shaping lives” in the community.
I have made these points to bring attention to the exceptional work being done in the School System to train and develop youngsters in Sports and Athletics that make Anguilla proud. And I am not taking you back to Keith Connor, Mark Richardson, Trevor “Ras Bucket” Davis, Cardigan Connor, Omari Banks and so on. I am talking about young people who have come through the system even in these times and present a refreshing change to the issues we are agonizing over today. They bring us hope, even in this period of despair, and their success should serve as an impetus to other young people. Their names have appeared in The Anguillian from time to time, but I believe it is important for me to put them in one place so it can have the effect of juxtaposition with the negative aspects of youth conduct that have occupied our minds in recent times. I am grateful to the Department of Sports for providing me this information as follows:
In Cricket, young Anguillians Montcin Hodge and Kelbert Walters have secured contracts to play for Leedsand Nottingham Cricket clubs respectively.
Jahmar Hamilton began his year of cricket training at the High Performance Centre in Barbados. The year will run from June 2012 to May 2013.
In Basketball, three Anguillian teams travelled to St. Barths to participate in a triangular tournament. All three teams, the under 12, under 15 and adults, easily thwarted their competitors to earn a clean sweep of the tournament. The outstanding player awards went to Eldon Richardson (ValleyPrimary School) in the under 12 category; Alfonso Isaac and Anfri Connor in the under 15; and Colin Harrigan in the Adult category.
In Athletics, Shara Proctor,won the Bronze medal in the Long Jump in the World Indoor Championships held in Turkey. And she broke the Great Britain indoor Long Jump record (new record 6.89). Two weeks ago, she won the Prefontaine Classic Diamond League in Oregon, beating out a “world-class” field that included the number one jumper in the World, Brittney Reese.
Zarhnell Hughes won the Bronze medal in the 100m (time 10.41sec) at the Carifta Games 2012 held in Bermuda, as well as placed 4th in 400m (time 21.26 sec). In the Leeward Islands Junior Championships 2012 in BVI, he won gold medals in both 100m and 200m and broke the meet record in both events thus establishing new national records for Anguilla.
Dee-Ann Rogers won the Bronze medal in the Heptathlon in Carifta Games 2012 held in Bermuda. And she won the Gold medal in the Heptathlon in the Leeward Islands Junior Championships 2012 in BVI.
In Football, Garayston Clark was named MVP of the Anguilla Football Association Senior Male League 2012.
There were other notable performances in the 2012 Leeward Islands Track meet which deserve mention, namely: Theron Niles placed 2nd in the High Jump; Rekiesha Leverett 2nd in the High Jump and 3rd in the 400 metres; Renee Fleming 3rd in both the 100 and 200 metres; and Nicole Gumbs 2nd in the Javelin, 3rd in the Long Jump and 2nd in the High Jump.
These achievements show that there is indeed a solid cadre of young people developing in our society who,if they continue in this vein, will contribute to a bright future for Anguilla. And while I have mentioned Sports and Athletics to make my point, I am also fully aware that in the field of Music there are similar success stories that can be added to this list of exceptional young people who provide both hope and promise for our homeland.
As promised, the Anguilla United Front have prepared a proposal to address the challenge of Youth Violence and Crime in our community and we have presented it to the Government. (I hope it appears elsewhere in this paper as well.) We hope that our effort will be taken seriously and be used as a discussion paper to advance the debate on the issue objectively. While I join the concerned petitioners in designating this to be the number issue affecting our island — all around us lie solid evidence that there is still hope!
