It seems as if we are losing a number of our older folks this year and with them a significant source of firsthand historical and cultural information. Last weekend almost two hundred years of memories were laid to rest as we celebrated the lives of Mr. Charles “Charlie” Christopher Gumbs and Mrs. Clemence “Sambu” Virginia Romney. By all accounts, including their well delivered eulogies, they were both pillars of their communities and had a common characteristic — they were personalities born and bred in the true traditions of Anguillian family and community life. May their souls rest in peace.
I have reflected on “Sambu” and “Charlie because they were products of a time when there was much hardship in Anguilla. Yet they found a way to survive and distinguish themselves in a most humble way — and as well-loved and respected persons in our community. The celebration of their lives brought home to me the kind of society in which they once lived where courteous, polite and modest people were admired and held in high esteem by their family, friends and neighbours. I saw pride welling up in the teary eyes of their offspring as the eulogizers recounted the lives of these special citizens. There was sadness. But I sincerely believe that the sadness was overwhelmed by the tremendous sense of appreciation that was everywhere to be seen and heard. They lived simple lives but they made lasting impressions on everyone – the many people whose lives they touched.
I have been talking for sometime about a new rudeness that has been permeating Anguillian society in recent times. And over the weekend I could not help but ponder on how persons who practice that boisterous and unkind approach as a lifestyle would be remembered. The airwaves, and particularly the talk shows, are inundated with the sound bites of persons whose only aim is to advance themselves by maligning and denigrating others most unfairly. In fact, not even the truth and the facts constrain them from making unfair analyses of the things they speak about. Indeed, the sole purpose of their diatribes is to spread lies and hate within the community. And what is most amazing is that they can always find a way to exculpate themselves and blame others.
As the election season approaches it seems that this attitude is now on “steroids”. The real issues that affect the lives of Anguillians have lost their significance to the “cheap shots” and “half truths” that may advance one’s political interest. After over four years in office the Government is feverishly searching for ways and means to woo the voters by demonizing their opponents with labels that bear no significance to what they were elected to do. For example: what does elitism; big boys; freemasons and poodles have to do with the challenges facing our people at this time? Time and time again the Parliamentary Secretary has tried to use numbers to demonstrate that things are going well in Anguilla while his listeners have been out work for years. They have lost their homes; their businesses; their land; their transportation. They are without electricity; they are being rationed water; they can’t pay their medical bills; and there seems to be no end in sight to the challenges they are facing. Will the people of Anguilla once again be hoodwinked into believing that a Government without a plan can deliver us?
On the policymaking level there are even more disturbing issues. The Government agencies in the tourism sector are in disarray. For the last four years the Tourist Board has had some five Chairpersons, and a number of Board members have also left labeling it as dysfunctional. The technical officers in the Ministry of Tourism are being sidestepped in the decision-making process and, in fact, the political directorate has executed a hostile takeover of the administration of the sector by making all the separate agencies answerable to a politically appointed Oversight Committee comprised of persons, many of which, have no technical expertise or experience in the industry. But what is even more disconcerting is that the budget for administering already contracted marketing programs has been severely cut. This – coupled with the fact that there seems to be a serious power struggle between the two North American agencies that have emerged out of the instability in the administration’s decision-making machinery – does not augur well for the future development of the industry.
As we speak there seems to be no clarity as to the present hierarchy of the Administration of Tourism and, in fact, no one seems able to explain at least two important concerns: How did Marvo Britto and the Britto Agency derive such power in the Ministry of Tourism and in its decision-making processes? And what is the process for selecting the Chairperson and Members of the Tourist Board? Based on the Tourism Act, it appears that few of the qualifications for Membership on the Board are being followed, and the proper relationship between Overseas Agents and the Tourism Administration seems to have been contaminated. All of this makes for a dangerous lack of transparency in the Administration of Tourism, and a serious level of uncertainty in the private sector as to Leadership in this crucial industry.
Another policy issue is: What is happening in the production and distribution of water? The first key point that I must make is that Government refused to negotiate the payment of legitimate bills owed to its water suppliers even though it did not have a viable plan to provide water services to its people. And, rather than negotiate, Government preferred to talk about who owns shares in the water plant and who prevented water from coming from St. Martin. There was in fact a real opportunity for Government to now own the water facility at Crocus Bay based on the agreement in place at the time of the dispute. However, based on correspondence between the Government and a private company it (Government) seemed more inclined to dispose of the plant infrastructure and the water production facility for tourism development. The rationing of water is therefore an important policy issue that this Government must explain especially at a time when universal access to potable water is an international human expectation. How can this Government defend its incompetent management of such a vital service to the people of Anguilla?
Yet another serious policy issue is the debate on whether to repair and upgrade the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, or fix one leg of The Valley Road Project. Let me point out, at the outset, that all that I know about this issue is what exists in the public domain. The substance of the controversy is that certain Ministers of Government are using political considerations to determine which project gets done first. The comment I heard from a Government “loud mouth”, on a Radio Talk Show last Saturday, is that both of these projects can be done. But if that were the case why then is there a controversy? I have therefore determined that there is a lack of transparency in this decision-making process. However, I have two comments that have been made to me for the Government’s attention. Firstly, I have heard that The Valley Road Project is under-designed given the drainage issues associated with its construction. Secondly, I have heard that the urgency of the A.T. Hazell Primary School Project is driven by the fact that there are serious health issues affecting the School that may necessitate it being closed if not dealt with immediately. If my information is correct it seems to be a “no-brainer” that the School Project should take priority. Especially, given the circumstances where the Road Project is not an adequate solution to the issue there. But then I am simply trying to be objective rather than political. Government would be well advised to be technical rather than political in determining these priorities.
This is just a snapshot of the issues facing Anguilla while our Government continues to use the low road in trying to get reelected. It is time for the Government Ministers; their surrogates; and supporters to realize that the issues are too blatant to be swept under the table. They cannot be disguised by “smoke and mirrors” and boisterous behavior. It is time to “take the high road” and raise the bar. It is the example that “Sambu” and “Charlie” lived all their lives.
