The real problem with voting in Anguilla is that many persons seem to decide more on the basis of gossip than from the real issues. So we tend to rely on “dem say” to form opinions. But “dem say” itself is unreliable and leads to unsound opinions. In the proverbial sense it means that “you are up a creek without a paddle” if that is your source. It is worse particularly during election time because in that period there is no truth in half the lies that are spread about. So anyone who wants to vote in the best interest of Anguiilla will have to listen carefully to the candidates at the campaign rallies and not follow “dem say” or take it second hand. Elections are important and placing a vote should be done only after proper consideration.
What we seek to do in this campaign is to deal with the issues. We do not want to repeat the disaster of the last election. At that time bad gossip and nasty innuendo prevailed and the outcome today has proven to be most unsatisfactory. Let us not do that again! This time let us make informed decisions based on the analysis of true issues. Consideration in terms of elections is putting thought into the matter before deciding where to place your “X”. For sure it cannot be a “knee-jerk” reaction. The best decisions are had when you take time to think about the issues.
Although it is easier this, time because it is based squarely on the Government’s record, just compare what they said they would do during the last campaign, with what they have achieved since they came to power. Obviously, we know the issues and the record. Simply put — they have done nothing to talk about in the last fours years. In this election it will be made clear that every man is judged by his performance. We have been promised much but received very little. Clearly they have nothing to offer but they say their hands are tied.
This is the election to break with the past and to prove to the world that we know what we want and will no longer be taken for granted. During the last campaign the CM told us that he had contacts in the French islands that could build us a bigger and better airport. That idea turned out to be one of the many campaign deceptions — what materialized is that we built a pier in St. Maarten. That platform, at one time, also speculated on electricity and water from the same source. A number of Anguillians point out that to accept that proposal you have to believe in “leprechauns or jumbees”. We are not quite sure which the CM believes in, nor can we figure out why people would vote for someone with ideas like that.
The CM also proposed that in no time he would turn the economy around. He tried but only managed to turn it down. He chided the AUF for whatever small tax-base was on the books, pledging to remove or reverse them with reckless abandon. But under his regime, in his budgets, he imposed and increased taxation levels never before reached. Still and while we were waiting for the other shoe to drop he bungled his budget speeches by reading them like a grade one student. He can’t help it — he is prone to bungle things. He created a fiasco out of the Teachers Union situation as he tried to settle it on the radio and in his poorly presented press conferences. With the Cuisinart caper, he almost ruined it for the workers. That was unprofessional and unnecessary. It is cause for him to go because it highlights his limitations in that he never gets the bigger picture. Besides that, now is not the time for his type of politics.
For sure we know now that Independence, so far, has not led our cousins in the other islands into growth. So we need to change our tune. Obviously, what causes growth and with it social change, is the ability to attract foreign direct investment; reduce fear of risk among investors; and promote political confidence. These elements have been lacking in this Government’s style of operating. Its style is not conducive to such positive outcomes. The readiness of AUF to embrace a new and inclusive style and level of operating makes it favourable for building the new Anguilla. That is the party that made the modern changes when they were last in power — they pledge to do it again.
Anguillians need to be convinced that they should vote for the modernization of Anguilla and to mark the “X” for an organization/party with the ability to get the job done. But the real challenge is the understanding for modernizing politics; the role of Government; and the quality of representatives. We should learn the best from the rest particularly about the development process.
The noticeable difference is that those islands that attract good and larger quantities of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) do considerable better than us. We want some too, so we must change the way we do business. The present style is getting us nowhere. What did Sir Emile do to get us started in tourism? Why are we now stuck?
Our job is to search for and attract people with funds to come here and invest some of it. Going away and saying let my people go is a waste — and Pharaoh is not even listening. This election is time to chase away those who keep on repeating themselves about things that happened many years ago, and replace them with those who want change NOW that would be better for us in many years to come.
The simultaneous presence of Flag and the AUF began the modernization of Anguilla. We saw the impact of FDI in motion. Everybody had a job; restaurants and supermarkets were always full; more people drank Black Label than Worry Vine; the boats were going to St Martin every half hour; and people had money to spend. Now all of that is gone!
Times were good then — even with the Government. They increased salaries to catch up with the tourism industry; they updated and increased blacktop roads; they improved and expanded the airport as well as the Sandy Ground and Blowing Point harbours; and whatever money they had they spent it to fix up the place. Yet we hear garbage from some Government spokesmen. Tell them to bring back “dem days”. We will not vote for them until they can do better!
