There has somewhat been a lull in the public political meetings around Anguilla in observance of the traditional Lenten Season and the significance it bears for Christianity, peace, hope and unity. The various parties and candidates are nevertheless otherwise actively engaged on the campaign trail and, at least, unlike before, they have an idea and a better guessing date when the general election is likely to be held.
For them, the electorate, and the government’s election machinery, it is a time of preparation. Pretty soon one expects the dates for nominations and the general election to be officially announced by the Chief Minister, now that the House of Assembly has been dissolved just over a week ago. He has been off island for quite some time, and that is probably unusual for any head of government to be overseas at the time of the dissolution of parliament. Since the actual election date is his secret, it is hoped that he will be in Anguilla to publicly divulge that information, with all the grandstanding he may choose to do so with, having carried the matter “down to the wire”.
As the parties and candidates make ready, one expects to see copies of their manifestos in due course. One of them, or perhaps a linkage of two, as the election results may dictate, will eventually serve as the blueprint for Anguilla’s development and policy decisions over the next five years. The manifestos should not be long in coming since the parties and candidates have already widely publicised their proposed plans and polices. As such, they may be a set of boring documents with repetitive contents. Be that as it may, the winning manifesto will also serve as a yardstick to measure the real accomplishments of the party in power in the long run.
With the imminent general election, the offices of the Supervisor of Elections and the Governor are already well advanced in their preparations in terms of the training and appointment of polling clerks, presiding officers, returning officers and other personnel. Soon, with nomination day, will come the careful printing of ballots – a somewhat demanding and critically important exercise.
All of the preparatory work is geared towards the politics and governance of Anguilla over the next five years. No one knows with any certainty how the government structure will be composed. For the time being, any predictions are just what they are and can therefore be misleading. However, the objectives and desires of the electorate, and even those standing for election, should include, in broad terms: a next five years of sound and sustained economic development with a great deal of financial wealth in circulation; an abundance of job opportunities for all levels of the island’s workforce; a next five years of social development in all of its forms; a next five years of constitutional reform, development, and devolution of administrative power – and governance into the hands of our elected representatives; a next five years of a crime-free society; and a next five years of unity, love and prosperity among all of our people.
We really need to see the new Anguilla of which our 1967 Revolution and the Father of the Nation – and all the other heroes and heroines – set out to achieve, even risking their lives in the process. If we can achieve even the semblance of some of the lofty goals spoken about on the political platforms, and in the planned manifestos, then the next five years should also be the new beginning of much progress and hope for our beleaguered island and people.
