I was listening in on some small talk at a little gathering the other evening and the comments I heard ran something like this:
“Dem say that dem need more time to fix us up! God only knows wah more harm dem can do to us! Dem haven’t even build a killiban much less a hotel since dem get in office! People cyan find work — and now dem got more fowl thieves on the island than you could shake a stick at! And dem now talking dem bout more time! Get us some jobs! We don’t have time for foolish campaign talk! We want to hear bout future economic activity! Now is not the time to come back and ask for another chance saying you want to finish what you started!” What are they talking about? Dey got to be either joking or smoking, because dey had a long five-year innings and did not get off the mark!
This seems to be the conversations at most places you visit on the island and the Government should be realizing by now that there is “no repentance in the grave”. They should realize that their tenure in office has been so fruitless and useless that there is absolutely no good grounds for a concerned voter to allow them a single day more than the statutory term. They have had their innings and now the game is over!
Yes! The Chief is too high in the batting order. He is a “ball blocker” and he has not been scoring any runs. The Anguilla United Front (AUF) is a better team and plays for Anguilla. Nobody is playing that silly game of “you can say anything that comes to your mouth” ,during the campaign, and get away with it anymore. For years we have been waiting for the man from Guadeloupe to come to build the airport — but there has been no sightings of him anywhere on the island. Obviously, that was a bad dose of campaign talk by the CM, knowing fully well that it would not happen.
Fellow voters, that is what you have got to look out for – and not allow yourselves to be suckered into the nonsense about needing more time to finish. Does that mean more of the same, or is it saying that the worse is yet to come? But how deep a grave they want to bury us in before they see the light and realize that their concept of government is antiquated? Primarily, the function of government is to govern, and that includes looking after the economic well being of the populace in terms the socio-economic advancement of the country.
Despite what has gone on before its ascendance to office, the onus is on the Governing Administration to make changes and improve the unwanted situations it claims existed. When they have not done so the people have the right to throw them out. This is what elections are all about — throwing out administrations that have been useless and do not serve the purpose for which they were elected.
Fellow Anguillians this island, at the present stage, is a work in progress. For the job to be done right we therefore cannot afford to take on common cobblers to do it — in fact what is needed are more skilled artisans.
The voter has got to be particularly careful as to how he casts his vote this time. He cannot sit back and glibly say: “I know that John Doe is the best man for the job, but I am voting for Peter Paul.” Granted everyone has a right to cast his vote however he likes without let or hindrance — there is the expectation that he votes in a manner that would most positively impact on the selection of the best government.
As regards the Government’s quest for more time, the question that comes to mind is: What have they done in the time they had so far, and what are they capable of doing? These are the considerations the voter must ponder on before giving his vote. Sure it is your vote to do what you want to do with it. This is a case of asking to finish a job when you have in reality started nothing.
Fellow voters, under the distinguished leadership of the Honourable Victor Banks much was done to modernize and regularize functions in the Departments of the Treasury and Inland Revenue, now we are hard pressed to point at anything positive this Government has done in this regard. Added on to their omissions to act positively, they struggled among themselves to legislate a modern Education Act while at the same time fighting unnecessarily with the Teachers’ Union where that organization was correctly acting in its own best interest. Dear voter! They have sowed many woes and now they are afraid to reap what they have sown.
After over a half century of political shadow boxing, the CM has been unable to record a win. So far the most he has accomplished was to move the most unkind motion against the Honourable Mr. Webster and thereby intercepted his promised future and, after the many chances he had, he replaced them with nothing. THAT we cannot afford any longer. Our aim is to build a modern and progressive community; no longer wallowing in the past; recognize the need for change; and, elect people who can make the right choices. It is very clear, based on their poor contributions and the behaviour of this regime in office, that even if they were given power for another million years they would still not achieve the national aspirations of the people — simply because they are incapable and are not looking in the right direction.
Fellow Anguillians, the job before us cannot be done easily in their way of doing things. It is bigger than their thought processes allows them. We know this by listening to their beat throughout their tenure. Change must come now! It cannot be business as usual and that is what they offer – more of the same. For us to move forward, as legislators, we must understand areas that need revision in our legislative and administrative system. It not that there is no water in the tap when you turn it on, but rather why is there no water in the tap when you turn it on, fellow voters? I put it to you: do not give them any more time. It is not worth your time!
