Fellow Anguillians, the theme for this 45th birthday of our Country which you know by now is Rejoice, Rebuild and Reconcile.
MyAnguilladay speech related to our self-determination. It was so written based on the experience of Anguillian leaders before me and my experience in politics inAnguilla. There may be some who will deem that speech controversial but it is a discussion that is long overdue and the time for us to move towards full constitutional independence is now.
Independenceshould be the goal of each and every one of us but there is another goal that we need to pursue with even more vigour and urgency and that is; UNITY. We need to unite our people. I have seen over my years in Anguilla that there is more that unite us than divides us and it was through that unity that the revolution succeeded and it can only be through unity that we stamp out the scourge of gun violence that plague our youth and our country once and for all. I still mourn the loss of Mr.Gustave Hodge along with his family. We are all family – the family of Anguillians. I weep for all of those parents who have lost love one’s through this senseless means. As a country, we have to reach out to those who have been injured and maimed as well. They too will need our support.
Fellow Anguillians, we are all one people! From East to West, from North to South, Anguillians are one people. Like the soca song asked a few years ago, “why can’t east go west, why can’t west go east?” there is absolutely no reason why a country of less than sixteen thousand (16,000) people should have its citizens living in fear. All that we have gained since the revolution is being threatened.
We have met with the Chief of Police on more than one occasion to discuss this issue collectively, as one people across the political divide.
Just this week, the Hon. Jerome Roberts and I met with both the Deputy Governor and His Excellency the Governor to discuss this spate of gun play on our island paradise by a handful of young men. We believe that it is time that our local police force receives some regional and or international assistance. We believe that the people ofAnguilla– all of us must give our police force our fullest cooperation.
We believe that this is the time that we garner assistance by qualified crime scene investigators and bring an end to this destructive behaviour once and for all. I have privately requested for this help and I am now publicly asking His Excellency to look favourably at this request.
As you know, it is His Excellency, the Governor’s portfolio and I will not interfere in his constitutional duty for our internal security but I believe that if there is ever a time for mutual respect and cooperation, that time is now. This is bigger than any political party –Anguilla’s existence is under threat and we must fight that threat by all means necessary!
There is room to rebuild – We have to commit ourselves to rebuild theAnguillathat makes us proud – economically, socially and culturally and spiritually. We have to reduce the dilemma of increasing hostilities in our youth who are engaging in unruly conduct and crime that is having a devastating impact on lives in this Country. As Parents, Teachers, Community, Law Enforcement and Government we have to be far more vigilant in re-directing our youth into positive behaviour.
Like I have said, there is room to Reconcile – let us never forget that we are our Brother’s Keeper and we are all one family on this three mile by sixteen mile island.
Let us now unite and rid ourselves of any sort of violence and build our country to her full potential.
God bless.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
