Sir Emile was a patriot who passed on the eve of Anguilla Day 2018. He received a fitting farewell as the people of Anguilla joined together to recognize him for the role he played in charting Anguilla’s course, following the 1967 Revolution. The many tributes bore testimony to the fact that Sir Emile was a true patriot. He is not alone in this regard as many Anguillians at some time or another demonstrate the attributes of a patriot. The difference between many of us and Sir Emile, however, lies in the fact that for many of us our patriotism appears to be seasonal.
The patriotism of many Anguillians is usually on full display in the days leading up to Anguilla Day. It is evident in the national colours with which persons adorn themselves, their homes, their cars or their offices. It is also evident in our speech whether it be an official statement delivered by an elected or appointed official, or merely a passing conversation between neighbours or acquaintances. We feel and demonstrate pride in being Anguillian each and every year as we celebrate Anguilla Day. But what can be said of our acts of patriotism on days other than Anguilla Day?
Sir Emile’s primary focus as expressed in the many tributes, rendered since his passing, was always to provide a better way of life for Anguillians – not some Anguillians but all Anguillians. In doing this he recognised that every Anguillian had worth and he, therefore, treated them accordingly. He recognised that providing a better life for Anguillians did not automatically mean an erosion of what made us Anguillians. He, therefore, made decisions and pursued courses of action which, while bettering our lives, preserved our cultural heritage. His pursuit of low volume high value tourism is cited as an example of this.
I, however, believe that a closer look at the man, his characteristics and how he lived will give us a true picture of the extent of his patriotism as he sought to preserve our cultural heritage. Anguillians were always known for their civility towards each other. Sir Emile emulated this. Many persons spoke of the calmness and civility of his leadership. When he and his family came under personal brutal attacks by his political rivals, he did not respond in kind. He took the high road. He did not allow the leadership of Anguilla to be sullied by losing focus and spending valuable time rolling in the mud with his detractors. As a true patriot he remained focused on the role of service he had assumed when he took on the mantle of political leadership, and diligently pursued the best possible outcomes for Anguillians in an atmosphere of civility, warmth and friendliness. His style and attitude brought honour and glory to his country as every true patriot seeks to do.
Interestingly, many of the past and present politicians, who paid tribute to Sir Emile, touted his civility, warmth, friendliness and humility as some of his greatest attributes. One would expect that with such recognition on the part of current politicians we would witness a greater level of civility, warmth, friendliness and humility in their interactions with each other and with their fellow Anguillians. Sadly, these attributes are not readily apparent among many of today’s elected leaders. Even sadder, is that where efforts are made to emulate these characteristics they are often accompanied by a ring of insincerity as they usually follow or precede behaviour which is wholly contrary to civility, warmth, friendliness and humility.
Sir Emile led during a time when white gloves were presented to visiting judges as an indication that there were no criminal matters to be heard during their time in Anguilla. This was reflective of the civility, warmth and friendliness generally demonstrated by Anguillians in their dealings with each other. Despite the forces that conspired against the maintenance of this aspect of our culture, Sir Emile sought to promote this aspect of our culture through his leadership style. Sadly, for many years now, judges have not been presented with white gloves but instead have to deal with fairly long lists of criminal matters during the assizes. The lack of civility, warmth and friendliness, which is threatening to become pervasive in our communities, is considered by many to merely be a reflection of the style and attitude of our elected leaders.
The description of Sir Emile as a patriot has its greatest significance in his desire to ensure that our ‘Anguillianness’ was maintained. Despite the fact that many of today’s leaders do not exemplify many of the attributes of which Anguillians have been and should be justifiably proud, all is not lost. The uniqueness of Anguillians is still recognised by many, such that despite our pristine beaches, tranquil waters and delightful cuisine it is still the people that get rave reviews from our visitors.
In death we have regaled each other with the many attributes of Sir Emile, which we admired. If we so admired these attributes, in Sir Emile, one would think that we should have little difficulty trying to reflect them in our lives. I believe that the greatest tribute we can pay to Sir Emile is to reflect all the positive attributes, which we so roundly praised him for, in our daily lives. In so doing our patriotism would be on display daily as we strive to preserve and, in some instances, regain our culture of civility, warmth and friendliness which will serve as the bedrock for a stable society that, with meaningful and focused leadership will see Anguilla and all Anguillians benefiting from a stable and growing economy.
Our love for our country must be reflected daily in our speech, behaviour and attitude, driving persons to one inescapable conclusion – that we are seeking the best and only the best culturally, socially and economically for all Anguillians. In so doing we would be demonstrating true patriotism, as Sir Emile did, on Anguilla Day and every other day of the year.
