This is indeed a very humbling experience for me this evening as I stand before this crowd of wellwishers, supporters and even detractors to formally and officially present myself to you as the Anguilla United Front’s Candidate for the Road North District five constituency for the 2015 General Election and by the grace of God as your representative in the House of Assembly come 2015.
I have been forewarned that I must not stand here tonight as if I am delivering a sermon but it would be extremely remiss of me if I did not first and foremost publicly acknowledge the presence and goodness of God and his sustaining and preserving grace on my life for such a time as this. I am of the firm belief and conviction that if politicians and aspiring or emerging politicians were to demonstrate more of a christlike character with the knowledge that all power and authority come from only one source and that is God Almighty, this would be reflected in the tenor of our language and our behavior during this period of political campaigning.
I am very much aware of the fact that my decision to offer myself for higher service in this capacity is a very serious one – it is a formidable task and not one for entertainment as some would have it but instead it is a decision which calls for boldness, courage, discipline, ethical and moral fortitude and above all a deep faith and commitment in God Almighty. It is a call that I have answered with humility to be the chance for change in the District of Road North, and in response to the people’s call for a more responsible and effective style of leadership.
Let me at this point say thanks to the District Five constituency cell for the faith and confidence they have reposed in me as their candidate and for putting my name forward for nomination. I am truly humbled. I likewise thank the wider party of the Anguilla United Front who have acclaimed and unanimously ratified my candidacy in this upcoming election. I firmly believe that the mix of youth and experience that is evident in the persons selected to represent this party in the seven districts is a powerful recipe for real change, especially when set against the stagnation of the last four and a half years. This bodes very well for the future. I stand here tonight to assure you that I am proud to be a part of that team.
To the many well wishers and supporters from throughout the length and breadth of this island who have greeted and hailed my candidacy as a breadth of fresh air to the political landscape of our island, I say thanks for your kind words, your inspiration and your encouragement.To those friends and well wishers whose candour I appreciate when you say, Mrs Bradley I do not support your party but I am supporting you because I know you are a good choice, I say thanks to you.
I know that there are those of you whose concern for me was primarily based on the fact that as a clean, decent and honest woman of integrity
I should keep clear of Anguilla’s mean, snakebelly type of politics but as you have so graciously reminded me I will keep it clean and if I can but make you one promise, it is this: I have absolutely no intention of getting into the mud, engaging in character assassination, degrading, disrespecting and denigrating anyone. This type of behavior is not in my DNA and as far as I am concerned adds no value to the more fundamental issues and problems which demand so much more of our useful time and attention.
And so I say to you this evening that my decision to contest the upcoming general elections was not one which was made light heartedly, as some of you may have perceived but instead it was one made with deep thought and conviction supported by much prayer. The residents of District five as well as the general masses are crying out for change, they are frustrated and disillusioned with the state of affairs in this our beauteous land.
And so for those of you who may not know exactly who Evalie Bradley is I take a few minutes to explain to you. I am a product of this constituency. It is in this district that I was born raised and nurtured into the woman I am today and as the local lingo would put it my navel string was buried a stone throw away just in the area of La Vue hotel.
I along with my six brothers and sisters have had the good fortune of being raised and nurtured in a very loving and caring family unit, surrounded by an equally loving and caring extended family of aunts, cousins etc where Christian norms and values were our guiding posts. My dad, Samuel Hughes, better known as “Warry” like so many others in those days travelled overseas to St Thomas and other neighbouring islands and the United Kingdom with a view to carving out a better way of life for his family. The responsibility of raising all seven of us rested squarely on the shoulders of my mother but through difficult and challenging circumstances the legacy of her strong moral and ethical values instilled in us lives on. She ensured that each one of us got a good educational background which has placed us all in good stead to be able to hold our own in the scheme of things today. For this we say thanks to both of them and may their souls rest in eternal peace.
It is therefore in this community where I first developed my first understanding and sense of community where love for self and neighbor was practiced, where that spirit of working together jollificiation style, where sharing, caring and generally love and respect and understanding for each other were the core social values and norms which characterized us as being truly Anguillian instead of today’s political divisiveness which has resulted in fractured communities, fractured families and fractured relationships.
It is on these very same grounds that as a community we converged week after week to pick the rocks from the rock walls which were a feature of this property to have them sold for road construction and in the process this allowed us to earn some much needed cash though small to help with family finances. I can still remember climbing down the Little Hill with friends and walking all the way to the Road Well for a bucket of water; and I will never forget the fun times Mona, Shirley, Vernice, Dorothy, Rocita, Bell, Betty, Esme and so many of the girls of my generation had playing rounders and slap and pinchers with each other in Ebbie’s yard. I have therefore been intimately involved in this community even up to this present time despite my change in residence. In addition as a mother and as a wife I am able to identify with the struggles and challenges of my constituents during these difficult times especially mothers. I know this because I too have faced difficult domestic challenges and I too have felt the lonely times, faced fear and shed the silent tears that so many mothers must have done in the role of motherhood. But by the grace of God I was able to successfully raise four fine young men all capable and independent within their own right and who have helped me to face with confidence all the trials of my life thus far.
It is because of these experiences and my life long service to community that I have offered myself for office. I am confident that I can make a difference. This is a call and a challenge for unity and togetherness against all odds for a rebirth of some of those core traditional values and beliefs which once characterized and defined us as truly Anguillia.
I have been asked on several occasions if I was ready for this mammoth task and responsibility. On each occasion my response has been a definite yes. I put it to you this evening that I have no intention of letting down the people who have placed their trust and confidence in me and I know that with your support I can and will effectively and faithfully offer them the kind of service and effective leadership they so deserve.
I come to you with no baggage attached but with clean hands and a pure and sincere heart and it is therefore for you the people of district five to make your own assessments, your own evaluations, your own conclusions about me as to who I am and what my capabilities are. I have left a legacy and a proven track record of exemplary performance and conduct in my various capacities in the Anguilla Public Service. My record speaks for itself.
I spent thirty four and a half years in the Public Service. I began as an administrative secretary and stenographer in 1973. From there I was promoted to Clerk of the Executive Council and House of Assembly. In 1985 I was appointed as Establishments Secretary and was trained for that position at the Thames Valley University in the UK which was followed by an attachment with the Government of the Cayman Islands. I remained as Establishment Secretary for some 18 years. In 2001 I was appointed to the post of Labour Commissioner and in 2005 I was appointed on promotion to the position of Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office.
When the decision was taken to have me transferred to the post of Labour Commissioner after some 28 years in Public Administration I resented and resisted the change. But as faith would have it, it was the best of my latter years in the public service. It was in this position that I felt most empowered, enriched and productive as I arbitrated conflict issues between employer and employees with very positive and successful outcomes thus creating a stronger and better working relationship between employers and employees. This experience also taught me the invaluable lesson of what it takes for an economy to grow and function effectively. There can be no serious economic progress without an effective partnership between Government, employers and workers. A harmonious partnership between those three ensures a progressive and vibrant economy. My years as a former Labour Commissioner have positioned me well to understand the importance of this sector.
I am hopeful that it is evident to all that I have had a sound and thorough knowledge of the way in which the public service in Anguilla is expected to operate. I know what it is to be a professional manager. I can hit the deck running with my understanding of what is expected of the civil service and I am confident that with my sound educational background, my practical knowledge and experience in senior public service management that I am poised to make that much needed change and difference to the political landscape of this our beautiful island. It can only be a good thing if those elected to the House of Assembly fully understand the way in which the public service operates and the laws which they must obey. Recent utterances by Ministers of Government concerning the public service have served to highlight the ignorance of some politicians about the way in which civil servants must operate. This is not good and my public service experience puts me in a good position to help to harmonize the efforts of those elected to Government to make policy and those selected and appointed by Government to execute and implement those policies.
I reiterate that it is my intention to conduct a clean and decent campaign. The electorate are disgusted, sick and tired of the toxic garbage and utterances from the persons elected to lead us and as several of my well wishers have indicated to me they are looking to me to make a difference and I will not disappoint you. I will keep above the fray. As Madea says “ folks will talk about you till the day you die but it is not what they say about you but what you answer to”. In defence of my record of service to the people of Anguilla I will respond to any attacks and criticisms made against me. If, however, they would wish to slander me with personal untruths I will not be like my leader Mr Banks, and roll over and play dead. I consider my opponents as men who have the common good of this island at heart even though we may have differing views.
It is however about time that as a mature electorate we understand and uphold the fundamental principles of democracy first instituted when our Creator gave us that ability of freedom of choice. So then there is no need for acrimony, annoyance or disrespect when the constituents of district five and Anguilla in general exercise their basic God given right to vote for a candidate who in their opinion can best represent their interests.
I challenge politicians on all sides of the political divide to make a resolution to change and be more responsible during these campaigns. We must set the bench mark and raise the bar because our young people are listening and are looking on.
A few years ago I gave a young man a lift to school. On our way the House of Assembly was in session and such was the conduct and behavior of the members of the House he asked me what was going on and why were they getting on in such a way. When I told him his response was disbelief that that was the way they behaved.
What can they tell the young people? What are we going to tell our young people? One young person indicated to me that the young people of this island are undermined, overlooked, sidestepped and ignored. I say to you this evening be the change that this island so desperately needs and make that change happen come 2015.
I make a passionate appeal to young men and women to become a serious part of the political process and get involved. Get involved in understanding your island’s history and past with all its difficulties and hardships, so that you more fully understand where we have come from and the values which have helped us to survive and thrive. Get involved in understanding where we are today in the present, our place in the region and in the world. The opportunities and threats that are out there in this global economy where knowledge is power and the world has become a new market place, only by deep thought and lively and relevant debate will we recognize our opportunities to make the most of which this new age of the internet and the digital economy has to offer.
Ladies and gentlemen I am not here to promise you that I can turn straw into gold for your immediate benefit but what I can promise you is that I will use all the skills, experience and gifts that God has given me to listen to you, to work hard for you and to hold myself accountable to you. This is indeed all about you. Tonight I have chosen to share with you a brief snap shot of my life and experience thus far as well as my very intimate connection with this community. I am not here to rob anyone of their inheritance but to say that I am a qualified, willing and able candidate to represent you the people of District 5.
In subsequent meetings I will be very specific about the plans I believe we should aspire to in order to make the district of Road North a better place to live in. These plans will be included in the manifesto of the AUF as our commitment to you in the years ahead.
Anguilla has been down for four and a half years, Road North for plenty, plenty years. This is way too long and with your help and with Team AUF we will turn this around. We will put our beloved island back on wheels and back on top.
Thank you, God bless you and God bless Anguilla.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
