Reflecting on the past, celebrating the present and providing inspiration for future generations, was the theme of the 40th anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution. It has been a long and arduous journey from that fateful day back in 1967 when we, as a people, led by a few brave men, decided to take our destiny in our own hands. No longer were we willing to accept the lip service of a Central Government which really didn’t have our best interests at heart, and no longer would we wait for the British Government – for they had continually ignored our pleas for help. We had no reason to believe that they would come to our aid now, for they had consistently ignored our requests for different living arrangements, and so we continued to live under less than inhumane conditions.
This past Anguilla Day, I pulled out my commemorative copy of Anguilla 40, the magazine that celebrated the Anguilla Revolution. As I re-read it, I was struck by the message of the then Chief Minister, Mr. Osborne Fleming, in which he touts our so-called progress. He talked about the development of a new constitution, the protection of our environment, the development of our youth and the improvement of the way in which we relate to each other as human beings. He goes on to say that he sees these issues as being critical and must be placed high on our national agenda.
So, one is forced to ask the question, what happened? The Chief Minister so eloquently assessed our situation, and talked about what needed to be done going forward but now, in retrospect, nothing was ever done. What changed to cause us to end up in the very tenuous position in which we now find ourselves? Was the CM just paying us lip service because as the highest elected office holder in the land, was fulfilling his titular duty?
Those of us born prior to 1967 were somewhat aware of the horrendous conditions that we somehow didn’t believe were the norm. Knowledge is power and once it is acquired it becomes quite a weapon. Once we began to travel abroad and saw how other people lived, upon returning back home, it became clear that we were being intentionally neglected, but that would not be allowed to continue for very long. And thus the seeds of our
Revolution were planted in, of all places, the good old United Kingdom, by cousins Elliot Webster and Atlin Harrigan. And while Elliot stayed in the background, Atlin lit the torch which started the fire, the flames of which would spread far and wide. We simply had no choice, and as Statehood loomed over our heads, like the Sword of Damocles, the die had already been cast and retreat was not an option.
Despite our cries for help to anyone who would listen, we were simply ignored. On at least on three different occasions, in 1825, and 1872, and again in 1958, our pleas were to no avail. And with the last petition, our people had a warning for those in charge. It simply warned that: “a people cannot live without hope for long without erupting socially.” “Tis only fit for goats” was how Govenor Statpleton of the Leeward Islands described Anguilla. Others were not as charitable. One in particular, Governor Willoughby, said that: “It were to be wished that Anguilla were as much under water as above it.”
We were simply ignored by just about everyone and consequently had to fend for ourselves. Those tasked with protecting us looked upon us with scorn and contempt.
Oh, they did try to help us out. When things got to be real bad, they sent a couple of frigates to transport us to Demerara to a fate worse than hell – that of indentured servants to the ruling class. We have to be thankful to our stubborn ancestors for telling Mother England, thanks, but no thanks. We opted to stay on our own homeland to weather the storm, something we would become very good at for, out of the ashes, we would emerge stronger than ever. Too bad, no one bothered to tell Robert Llewellyn Bradshaw of the Anguillian resolve, for he would have to find out the hard way.
While Anguilla Day is seen as a celebration we cannot, and should not, lose sight of why it is that every year we do this. We will have listened to the speeches, seen the parades, followed the boat races and travelled to St. Martin – yes, quite a few of us celebrate our day in St. Martin but, after all is said and done, are we really capturing the true essence of Anguilla Day? What do we know about Anguilla Day? Do we know who the true participants were? Do we know who opposed and so on? We cannot continue to be hypocrites for, in the words of one of our popular calypsonians: ‘ the revolution ain’t done.’ We need to educate our young people for, as Marcus Garvey said: “A people without the knowledge of their history is like a tree without roots.” Anguilla of ’67, where are you?
To be totally honest, we have shortchanged ourselves from the outset. As the saying goes, ‘we have met the enemy and it is us.’ Granted, we found ourselves in an untenable position which required us to be quick students of local government, for, as Colville Petty pointed out in Where There is a Will There is a Way, once the Vestry was disbanded the people had no opportunity to learn politics. That was the conclusion of the Wooding Commission as one of the causes of the rebellion. Not only did we have no formal training in the art of good governance – we were being administered by a Warden whose loyalties were to the Central Government. Those tasked with teaching us failed miserably in their fiduciary duties. And while we did not master the art of good governance, the burden should not be placed squarely and solely on our shoulders, for there is an old Turkish proverb that says: “It is not just the just the fault of the axe, but the tree as well.”
As a nation, one would think that after 48 years we would have a pretty good idea of what needs to be done and how to go about doing it. For the fifth or sixth time, we will have a new government, and each time it is the hope that things will be different. Maybe that is just wishful thinking. We can’t continue to do the same dumb things year after year and expect different results – that’s Einstein’s definition of insanity.
To the AUF, you have won a resounding victory at the polls and we are looking to you to take us forward. We will be watching, with eagle’s eyes, the goings on, and we expect to find the checks and balances, sorely needed to guarantee good governance, in place – integrity, accountability and transparency, the hallmarks of good governance, all highly visible. We don’t expect to see the nepotism, cronyism and any other ism, characteristic of past administrations. We know that mistakes were made in the past and we don’t anticipate seeing the same ones repeated for Winston Churchill famously said: “A people who don’t know their history is doomed to repeat it again.” It is imperative that we learn from our history. We know that Mr. Banks is a highly educated man who has a pretty good idea of what he speaks. But let us not fool ourselves here. The immediate former CM said that we were heading for failed state status, and you have to know that that statement probably perked up the ears at Whitehall. If you don’t take the governance of our country seriously, the UK might very well take up Mr. Fleming’s offer to them when he told them it was their country and they could come and get it anytime. Remember he gave them a standing invitation. Let us not give them cause to take that option.
As we reflect on our past, let us not forget how we got to this point. Let us give credit where credit is due. Let us build the ocean walk in Island Harbor which will allow visitors from all points to actually see where the Rambler actually departed from – let them see the names of those people who gave so much without expecting anything in return. Let us see to it that the ocean walk becomes a reality. Hopefully, this Anguilla Day, we will have taken our hats off to my father Walter Hodge, Atlin Harrigan, Bevan Hodge, John Webster, Wallace Rey, Cardigan Hodge, Collins Hodge, Bob Rogers, Peter Adams, Jeremiah Gumbs, Wilkin Smith, Todville Harrigan, Shaft and Trigger, Ruby Gumbs and a host of others too numerous to mention. Let us never forget the women, either, for they too played an integral part in our freedom.
We have travelled a long way from those dog days of ’67, but we are still not done. We started out with a British Administrator and a City Council and later graduated to Ministerial Government, the Westminster model. Our ultimate goal should be total control of our own affairs but, at this point in time, that’s just wishful thinking. We are in no shape or form to entertain any such idea so, in the meantime, let us take the former CM’s admonition to, as he put it: “improve in the way we relate to each other as human beings.” The election is over. It is time for all of us to get on board, roll up our sleeves and show that Anguillian resolve, the resolve of a once very proud people. We can be that way again. Once we realize that either we swim together, or we’ll drown separately, we can then begin to tackle the issues that affect our very existence: our banks, our jobs, infrastructure etc. Anguilla, this is your defining moment. What we do now determines where we will go in the future.
As we contemplate inspiration for our future generations, let us lead by example. Let us, in the words of Mahatma Gandhi: “ Be the change that you wish to see in others.”
A government does for its people that which they cannot do for themselves, but at the same time one can’t look for government to do everything. One does, however, expect it to look out for the best interests of its people. An assessment of the way that we have been conducting business has caused several people to voice their concern in what they see as Anguilla slowly slipping away from us. One such person was Sir Emile Gumbs, former CM, who had concerns about the direction in which Anguilla was heading. For example, the over-development of our coastline and the limited or no access to our beaches. The ‘fronting’ by our people for foreign business, coupled with the impression that “all of Anguilla is for sale.” He admonished us: “If these trends are not arrested, we may soon become an endangered species in our own home.”
So as we reflect on the past, while celebrating the present, let us provide inspiration for future generations. Let us lead by example and be that which we want in others. If we continue to work hand in hand, rid ourselves of the “soldier crab” mentality, the political immaturity, political insensitivity, political naivety, nepotism and all the other bad habits that we’ve acquired along the way then, perhaps, we can truly recapture our past glory when we were the jewel in the crown. Let us then seize this opportunity to design, develop and implement a national strategic plan – one that will benefit not just some, but all Anguillians. Let us hold on to those things that worked for us, and discard those that don’t. Let us rekindle, once more, the spirit of 67 and accomplish that which we set out to do. Writing in the Annals of Anguilla, S.B. Jones said of us that: “Anguillians will in the years to come be a united people, almost one large family, so that where the honor or the interest of Anguillians is concerned, they know no color, no creed, no class.” Was he wrong in his assertion? What do you think?
Hopefully, this Anguilla Day will be one that stands out from all others, for it is a day that should be remembered for generations to come, not because it is a day off, but for what it actually stands for. So to all those who made the sacrifices, and to their families past and present, may God bless you all and may God continue to bless Anguilla.
