Reflection 2010 – 2015 a tumultuous period for Anguilla
Former Chief Minister, Hubert B. Hughes, insulted the Father of the Nation, Mr. James Ronald Webster, and all Anguillians, by saying, on a big Anguilla Day celebration, that Mr. Bradshaw did no wrong to the island and its people. Mr. Elkin Richardson and Mr. Percy Thomas, and other talk show hosts, did not hit the airwaves to ask the Chief Minister to apologize.
When the prisoners revolted, Chief Minister Hughes did not condemn them. Instead, he threatened Britain stating that just how the prisoners revolted he would do the same thing against them (the British). Again Elkin and Percy did not hit the airwaves condemning the actions of the prisoners or rebuke the Chief Minister. When, in the House of Assembly, teachers were insulted and ripped to pieces by a Minister, Elkin and Percy did not hit the airwaves to make or force that Minister to apologize.
District # 7 was without representation for two years. In any island or country, after a period of time, an assessment is made as to whether an elected member is fit to continue as a representative. If not, that person would be asked to resign as the representative, but this was not the case in Anguilla. Again, Elkin and Percy did not hit the airwaves to make sure that District #7 was represented by another person.
Water was rationed throughout the island. Yet, again, Elkin and Percy did not hit the airwaves to prevent this from happening, seeing that water is a basic necessity.
Chief Minister Hughes said he had a plan to move the nation forward, but Elkin and Percy did not hit the airwaves asking him to explain his plan. I guess it was top secret.
Then, there were the statements by Chief Minister Hughes about the Clergy. But, again, Elkin and Percy did not hit the airwaves to make the Chief apologize.
Elkin said if you voted for the United Front you all will go missing like the Malaysian jet. Percy and the other callers to these talk shows did not hit the airwaves to make him (Elkin) re-track his statement and apologize.
Next we come to former Governor, Alistair Harrison. After he left Anguilla, Chief Minister Hughes stated that he told the British Government he did not want a diplomat as the next Governor. So in came Ms. Christina Scott whom Mr. Hughes acknowledged and accepted as a good Governor. Now, in the view of Elkin and Percy, she is on the bad side of the fence and she is blamed for being the one who chose the now resigned Commissioner of Police. Despite all their heated talk, they well know that Chief Minister Hughes agreed to her appointment but have said nothing about that.
I thought that, as Leader of the AUM, Dr. Lorenzo Webster should also have known about the appointment. Is it that he was not in a position to say something about it or, for some reason, thought otherwise?
In conclusion, when we look back at the AUM’s record for 2010 – 2015, which in fact seemed a tumultuous period for Anguilla – with all the problems the island had – we see the AUM saying and doing what they wanted and thinking they were perfect and without mistakes.
You, readers, be the judge. The only thing I would add is that the future is determined by the past, but if you are stuck in the past, there will never be a future.
Hulia (Ponto) Carty
