Dear Editor
“THE FAULT DEAR BRUTUS IS NOT IN OUR STARS…”
by Tyrone Hodge
In William Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar, the nobleman Cassius tries to convince Brutus to see things his way when he says, “The fault dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” That is to say that we are in control of our destiny. Democracy demands that we as a constituency take action and not sit idly by as we drift haplessly about. We as a people have to be in control of the government for democracy to work correctly. We can’t afford to straddle the fence and do nothing because, in so doing, we’ve abdicated our roles as citizens and have made the worst of all possible choices, that of remaining silent.
In that we are indeed underlings, or are seen as such, might be the very reason that we are treated in the condescending manner by those in power. One gets tired of all the talk of independence for Anguilla. What makes it even more aggravating is to hear the Chief Minister propose a date by which he plans to move forward with this. Can we stop and think for a moment what we’re contemplating? We’re about to embark on a journey that is fraught with minefields – the likes of which we’ve not seen before – and without the expertise to deal with them. Independence is something that all of us should aspire to but, in our present condition, we’re pushing a rope up a hill. All we hear is talk, but no one is addressing the more pressing problems that presently confront us.
In Anguilla, we enjoy a certain lifestyle because of who we are, and a lot of that has to do with the fact that the Union Jack flies over our tiny paradise. Don’t think for a moment that we’d be the same without the full faith and credit of Great Britain. I know I’m going to hear from the rabid British haters that I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I’ll leave it at that. True, they did invade our shores and history will be the final arbiter as to why that happened. Despite that, we enjoy certain inalienable rights because of our association with Great Britain. To deny that would be disingenuous.
It is obvious that those who would take us into independence haven’t given much thought to what such a move entails. The argument will be one of: well…, and so and so went independent and they didn’t have much of anything. Well, we’re not so and so and what we have they didn’t, and by that I mean our own way of living, our inheritance and yes, a certain Anguillian swagger. It’s nonsense to look at what other nations have done and assume that their situation is the same as ours. We can’t adopt say Antigua’s constitution and call it ours even if the late Dame Bernice Lake was instrumental in its drafting. We’re as different as night from day. The only thing we have in common is that we’re both Caribbean countries. True, one might say that our origins are the same in that we were, as in Antigua’s case, once tethered to Great Britain. There is where the similarities end.
Right now Scotland is contemplating independence from Great Britain and its people have to deal with the same issues that presently confront us. For example, how will they pay for all of the expenses associated with independence? Things like embassies, security and other once off charges? How will they sustain themselves? Well they’re lucky in that they participate in a 1.2 million pound oil producing operation in the North Sea. In addition to that, they have a long established and workable infrastructure – for over 300 years – that’s capable of moving goods and people. We on the other hand are new at this. For the last 14 or so years we’ve had several commissions working on election and constitutional reform to no avail. Just recently Mr. Walcott Richardson was charged with two counts of indecent assault, but the constitution is very vague on how to deal with such a situation. The decent thing for Mr. Richardson to do would be to take a leave of absence or just simply resign, but I won’t hold my breath. The editor of The Anguillian, last week, commented on Caribbean politics pointing out that there’s nothing like it. The Walcott Richardson incident tells us that we don’t have the moving parts in place. Electoral and election reform still needs to be completed.
We have very few, if any, of the necessary parts that would set us on the path to self-sufficiency. We seem to be acting like a petulant child who was grounded for not obeying the rules of the house and the only solution is to move out knowing full well he or she will have to go back home. Kennedy Hodge, on an appearance as a guest on the Mayor Show on KOOL FM, a few weeks ago, laid out a very interesting argument about why a country goes independent. He used as his examples America and Haiti. His conclusion was that both countries had no choice because they were being oppressed by tyrannical governments. So the question therefore becomes, are we being oppressed by a tyrannical government?
Some may think that by becoming independent we will have no one to answer to, and that may be correct to a point. Kennedy listed a few of the so called advantages that such a move might bring including the ability to get aid from countries such as China and Taiwan. However, he was quick to point out that such aid invariably comes with strings attached. China is trying to get a stronghold in the Caribbean. In his book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, John Perkins describes certain scenarios in which money was loaned to several third world countries knowing full well that they would not be able to repay the money, but they had assets that could make up for their inability to pay back the money. The country in effect becomes a slave to the lender, whether it is the IMF or whoever it may be. We have to be knowledgeable of how this global economy works. We may have already been exposed to these practices by a British company, Carillion, that built Viceroy. A careful examination of the job will probably find that a constant stream of cash made its way back to the UK. That’s the way it works. There is no benefit for the locals and our elected representatives just sit and watch. My grandmother used to always say “what sweetens the mouth will bitter the behind.” We have to educate ourselves so that we don’t lose our independence and become subservient because of some economic hit man. Another point Kennedy made was that Anguilla would not be encumbered by restrictions by Britain which could lead to bad deal-making. A third advantage would be that of the law enforcement. As it now stands the police report to the Governor. Under an independent Anguillian Government, the police would have to report to the locals, not the Governor.
Independence is not without its pitfalls. With an independent Anguilla, there has to be a constitution that spells out how we’re to be governed. We’ve been trying without success since 2001 to reform it and we’re still trying. We have to have checks and balances to guard against the abuse of power. For example, the government should not use the police against the people, especially the opposition. You will recall during Grenada’s independence, one that was forced on the people, Eric Gairy who famously said that he was going to achieve independence no matter what, also gave the police carte blanche to operate under the purview of national security. That is something that we want to guard against. We don’t want to go from getting rid of one tyrant only to have him replaced by another.
Kennedy went on to say that no attempt has been to put in place the machinery, for want of a better word, to make sure that the rights of the people are well protected. We don’t know what this would look like. Where are the checks and balances? What about our civil rights, what about the justice system, one that will guarantee that everyone is treated equally under the rule of law? Right now our police force is being manned by lawmen from other Caribbean nations. Our children are being taught by teachers from all over the world. Common wisdom would say that we don’t have any skin in the game. Some of our people are complaining about the foreigners that are keeping us safe, and teaching our kids, saying that they should go back where they came from. Let’s stop and think for a moment. I seem to remember how, some forty or fifty years ago, we left here and set out for the USVI. We faced the same kind of animosity that we as a people now seem to be dishing out. You will recall we used to be called Garrots, named after a greedy bird that flew in, grabbed all it could get and then flew away. The late Governor Ralph M. Paiewonsky, through executive order, made it possible for those of us who were in the islands legally, stayed out of trouble and were gainfully employed, to apply for permanent residence. It is no secret that over the years Anguillians have contributed handily to the development of the USVI. The Chief Justice of the Virgin Islands Supreme Court is an Anguillian, Mr. Rhys Hodge.
The thought of independence is frightening and rightfully so. Anytime you are about to undertake a move of this magnitude, especially when you don’t have all of the moving parts in place, there is cause for major concern. I agree with Kennedy that the time in which this government plans to move forward is not enough. Perhaps the most important thing he said was that the CM is elected by some 300 constituents and his overall concern is to those people. One has to ask the question then: what about the remaining 13000 people, 9000 of whom make up the tax base? Are those people enough to consistently sustain the government? What if something like Fountain Valley happens? We’re one incident away from killing the golden goose: tourism. What happened at Blanchard’s last week could have been devastating.
My fellow Anguillians, we’re being asked to buy a pig in a poke. This talk of independence has had a negative effect on Anguilla’s stance going forward. Investors come to our shores precisely because they see the Union Jack waving in the cool breezes over our tiny but gorgeous paradise. I overheard a conversation just recently in which a prominent businessman said that a close business acquaintance who has been coming to Anguilla for the last ten to twelve years, and has a residence here, has just sold his home when he heard of this talk of independence. The Union Jack was the stabilizing factor that kept him here. It’s lunacy to continue to pursue this pipedream. It’s obvious that those who want independence have their own agendas. Go and tell the worker who no longer has a job about independence and see how he or she feels about it.
The fact that our constitution has no provision on how to deal with the Walcott Richardson incident helps to highlight the need for constitutional reform. Colville Petty has written extensively about the need to reform both systems. He concluded that as long as the constitution benefits the party in power, there is no motivation to make any changes. We’re using a system that’s outdated and was designed to serve 6500 people. The population at last count has almost tripled.
While the constitution and the electoral system need to be overhauled, salaries also need to come in line with the country’s GDP. At present, these gentlemen are grossly overpaid and their salaries need to come in line commensurate with their duties. This should not be one’s life’s work.
Before I go, let me say this: It’s redundant, these constant chants of independence. We’re a small nation which really hasn’t learnt the art of good governance, as a dependent territory, and now we want to go independent or rather, some of us want to go independent. On the Mayor Show on KOOL FM, Kennedy Hodge ticked off an array of items that need to be addressed. Civil rights, human rights, checks and balances, the justice system, police force, sustainable economy and the list goes on. The fact that none of these issues have been properly addressed should give us all a cause to pause. Think about this. Ask yourselves, do we really want to take on this fight now when there’s so much uncertainty in the world? We don’t want to think with our hearts now. We need to use our heads. We are independent thinkers – at least we used to be.
Do we really want to go down this road with a man who, by his past actions has shown little regard for us? In the wonderful world of make believe in Hollywood, there is a term that film historians and movie makers use. It’s called the doppelganger. Simply stated, a doppelganger is a shadow self that is thought to accompany every person. I think that our current CM has been replaced by a doppelganger, and I say that not out of animosity. But for someone who professes to love this nation, his actions have been contrary to what he preaches. Let me echo Cassius’ words to Brutus again. “The fault dear Brutus is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are the underlings.” We are definitely the underlings, but that doesn’t mean that we should blindly follow. We are in control of our own destiny, if we seize the moment. We can’t sit idly by and let one man suffering from delusions of grandeur have us suffer the same fate as Jonestown. We will not drink the kool aid. This is not a game of golf where you get to pull a Mulligan – a do over. As General Powell told his Stanford graduate students a few weeks back, you don’t get any second chances. Every last one of us should be standing up with as much fervor against this movement, being touted by the CM, as we were against Statehood with St. Kitts and Nevis. Our voices were heard then. What has happened since then? Do we still not want what’s best for Anguilla? Well then, let your voices be heard. Let’s put aside all the petty bickering and small time vindictive politics and come together for the good of the nation.
As I recalled some months ago, in this same publication, I quoted Admiral Perry who, after he had suffered a good licking by the British at the Battle of Lake Eerie, said to his men: “We have met the enemy, and it is us.” Truer words were never spoken. Well, we have met the enemy and it is us. What are we doing for our people, or should I say to them? More MOUs are being signed, but still no action. More pipedreams? We’re still waiting for our Shaka Zulu who, according to the father of the nation, should be well qualified in terms of education, dedication, integrity and with the right leadership charisma. Does anyone honestly see any of those qualities on display in our current crop of politicians in our beloved Anguilla? I think not. We’re being faced with one calamity after another, the most recent of which was the brazen robbery of Blanchard’s.
Victor Banks, in his column recently, made reference to the killing of the golden goose. Do we not get what he was saying? Well, let me spell it out. Tourism is the only thing that we’ve got going for us right now. When it’s gone, we’re done. Where are our leaders? Why aren’t they up in arms over the issue of crime? You saw true leadership when President Barack Obama went to Newtown after the massacre of those innocent children. He did not wait around for several weeks. He acted immediately. Our Chief Minister has chosen to fly halfway around the world to address 2800 people in the Falklands on the issue of self-determination. We can see where his priorities lie. He’d rather spend our taxpayer dollars to speak to 2800 Brits on a topic that we know he’s well versed in, while his people back home are still waiting for him to address them as to what is going on and what his plans are for going forward. Mr. Chief Minister, you need to remove the mote from your own eye before you go and remove it from someone else’s eye.
I hate to sound like the bearer of bad tidings, but someone has to do it. I lived in the USVI back in 1972 when several local kids shot up Fountain Valley and several tourists were killed. To this day, St. Croix has not fully recovered from that tragedy. Trust me folks, we don’t want to go there. The government needs, by whatever means necessary, to bring this situation to an end before it passes the point of no return.
We are a peaceful and loving people and everything that has been happening over the past several years defies everything that we as a people grew up with. What has happened? Is it because there is a lack of opportunity? Is it because we’ve failed our young men and women? Is it because we’ve not properly educated our kids? If you heard Dr. Patwin Adams on the Mayor Show on KOOL FM 103.3 last Saturday, you would have heard him extolling Anguillian virtues of which there are many. True we’re struggling. Our economy is a wreck with no signs of getting better. Our CM is off globetrotting when he should be home providing leadership. Why did we elect this man? Where is our Governor? Gentlemen, we are crying out for help. Rome burns while Nero fiddles. I care what happens to my homeland. The question is, does anyone really care? Someone pointed out that we marched in support of the Indians. Why can’t we march in support of ourselves? Remember, the good book says God helps those who help themselves. No one is going to do anything for us. We have to be our brother’s keeper. Let us all collectively get together and rectify this situation. We have to pull together. Until then, may God bless and keep us safe, and may God bless Anguilla.
