With Anguilla Day just around the corner, we have a lot to be thankful for this year. We have to be thankful for a brand new government which saw, for the very first time, the election of three female candidates, two of whom are lawyers. We see elected officials already promising to be kinder and gentler, with admonitions of what needs to happen this time around. That’s all well and good, but it will all be for naught if we don’t modify our way of doing things. Famed Hollywood writer Dorothy-Parker most famously said that: “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.” How true.
If we are to get back on the right track we, as a people, need to do some serious penance, for we have committed some of the most egregious behavior possible in this last election. Now it is the purpose of each and every candidate to try and to convince people that they made good choices. Granted, we know that politics is a contact sport and not for the thin skinned or feint of heart, for if you can’t handle the slings and arrows then, perhaps, a more friendly confine say, maybe the classroom, would be a more suitable choice – and I’m not sure that the classroom would be the right choice, given what’s happening in our schools today.
We can talk till we’re blue in the face, but until our people decide to behave in a manner that’s conducive to the way in which our forefathers raised us, until we are willing and able to stop and reflect at the way we have behaved, especially you in district one, then we’re mining fools gold. We have behaved in a way, during this last election, that was shameful. Those of you reading this paper know exactly what I’m talking about. You have showed a lack of class, a lack of fairness and, if my history serves me, this is not the first time that this has happened. I am not bringing any of this up because, I’m angry, even though I have every right to be. I had to listen to a lot of disgruntled crap from people who ought to know better. We have to end this cycle of deceit and jealousy in Island Harbour. We have a long and brutal history and it pains me to see the shameless manner in which we behaved last election day.
Do we not remember those days back in ’67 when the people who taught us in school packed up and left. The same people we saw on a daily basis and who for the most part were our surrogate parents. Do you remember that the revolution was fought between Welches and Mount Fortune, while everyone else packed and sought refuge in the safe confines of our sister Caribbean nations? Does anyone remember that? We don’t have to call names, but there are still some of us around who remember those days. Knowing what we did then, how is it that we’ve fallen so low to behave in the manner that we have?
Two candidates in district one made good showings and with a little bit of luck may have even won. But to those of you who gave your word to a particular candidate, knowing full well that you planned to vote contrary to your promise, how do you live with yourself? I mean how do you come to someone’s rally eat and drink and blow your car horn and then on election day vote for someone else? What are you saying to your children? Do as I say, not as I do? Seriously? I mean, how could you possibly not support someone who has been in your corner all along? What is going on here? But then what did we expect?
This sort of behavior has been the rule for as far back as I can remember. I remember my own father, Walter Hodge, a man who would give you the shirt off his back running for that office under the St. Kitts single seat plan, and every time he would lose to someone less talented than himself, even losing to his brother in law one time, so I’ve seen this behavior before and someone has to have the balls to call it out.
The late Atlin Harrigan, who singlehandedly started the Anguilla Revolution, who put his life on the line many times for us, could not get elected in his own district because of dirty politics, so what does that say about us? You know why Atlin was not elected by his own people (and I will leave that there for now) – but what transpired on April 22nd was shameful. An election that shouldn’t have even been close, was just that. My fellow villagers, we need to do some serious soul searching if we’re to go forward in any way shape or form. We’ve displayed some devious behavior which, until this election, I didn’t think existed. I have always defended my people to the best of my ability, but if I had not seen what I saw with my own two eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.
This is not sour grapes. I’m angry. I’m angry as hell, and this sort of behavior has to stop for, if it doesn’t, this Anguillian Spring, to which I’ve been referring, will be nothing more than a few drops of rain and nothing else. We have become a people who are greedy and self-centered. We are our brother’s keeper and that is the way we used to do it. What has happened to us? Are there none among us who are willing to do the right thing because it’s the right thing? You know, some of us might hold a grudge but, despite the low class vile comments that were made, you will still receive the ultimate respect and the best representation.
A lot of you don’t know your history and, as the saying goes: “A people without the knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots.” Think about that for a while. Think about the old people who are no longer with us, the same old people who helped you and yours when you needed it. Before you start popping off, do a little research and you’ll find that in most cases it’s best to keep your mouth shut. You loudmouths know who you are and you know exactly what I’m talking about. Until we mend our evil ways we’ll never get ahead.
District one, you came through when it counted and you know who you are. To those of you who basically betrayed your goodwill, time will tell. Martin Luther King said: “In the end you’ll remember not the words of your enemies, but the silence of your friends.” William Shakespeare said: “How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” You thankless ones, you know who you are, and may God bless each and everyone of you, even though you’re no better than thieves in the night, for that’s exactly who and what you are.
Despite the ill will and deceitful behavior, you are still part of the Diaspora and as such are entitled to the very best representation. And for whatever reason you acted in the manner that you did, whether it’s jealousy, envy or just simple bad mindedness, that will be your cross to bear. Your day of atonement will eventually come. The cream always rises to the top and, by the way, the numbers don’t lie.
The former CM was quoted as saying that Anguillians don’t read and if you don’t want them to know something, put it in the paper.” I am being constantly told that people don’t want to read long articles. Well you know what, if we keep that mindset and give them the Reader’s Digest version every time, what do we expect? We now live in the 21st century in a world that has gone global, which also requires 21st century skills. Reading, unfortunately, will be front and center and not the Reader’s Digest versions either. So if we keep making excuses for our people, then what are we to expect?
We are out to build a New Anguilla Now, and if we’re to do so our core values need to resurrect themselves: values such as integrity, honesty, transparency and a host of others. We need to stand up for what we believe in and with the passing of another Anguilla Day, on which we recognize our heroes, past and present and those long forgotten, let us rein in this backstabbing behavior that’s prevalent among our people. Let’s try to rekindle that spirit, like when you shook a man’s or woman’s hand and gave your word.
The Chief Minister was conciliatory in his speech on Webster’s Park in which he talked about the long and arduous journey to that moment. He also mentioned the fact that he’s had to endure quite a bit of abuse but, in spite of it all, he talked about “uniting our country, in the way that you do things.”
So you can imagine how much of a shock it was when the House had its first session, and was promptly boycotted by two of the local radio stations! Maybe some one needs to tell the operators of those two stations that they operate on our airwaves – and they operate in the public interest – and if for a moment we think that they are not operating in our best interests then, when their licenses come up for renewal we can most strenuously object to their renewals, because they have not been acting in our best interests. As citizens of Anguilla, we have rights and it’s about damn time that we start to exercise those rights. Radio operators, again, you use our airwaves in exchange for providing a service to we the people. Now folks you decide, did they operate in our best interest on May 11 of all days – the very first day of the new government in the House? I hope we put these guys on notice. This was an insult pure and simple to every Anguillian.
If we are ever to get out of this quagmire, that we find ourselves in, then we have to work as a team, set aside our petty differences, get rid of all this bitterness that we have bottled up. The election has been decided. The people have spoken. It’s time to move on. Let us give this government the benefit of the doubt and allow it to get up to speed. At the same time, let us give the opposition leader, our support also, for she is looking out not just for some of us but all of us. To my people in Island Harbour, make a change in the way you do things for, when all is said and done, whom do you have? who will you run to for help?You figure it out.
Until then, may God continue to bless us in spite of it all, and may God continue to bless Anguilla.
