Isn’t is refreshing to see new faces stepping into the political arena? Just when we thought it was going to be more of the same, two young women have presented themselves as possible options on the 2020 ballot. If nothing else, they must be commended for their courage in taking this bold step, and their willingness to be of service, as elected representatives, to the Anguillian people.
It has not gone unnoticed, nor is it considered coincidental, that women are stepping forward to take the reins of leadership. Our society, like many others in the region, has been largely matriarchal. Women have dominated in several fields including education, health, law, public service and, increasingly, in business and finance. However, they have been disproportionately underrepresented in Parliament. There have been some stalwarts of Anguillian politics, such as the late Idalia Gumbs and the late Albena Lake Hodge, who were formidable personalities in their time — and who paved the way for other women to be a part of this arm of Government. However, apart from them and the current members of the House of Assembly – Honourable Pam Webster, Honourable Cora Richardson Hodge and the Honourable Evalie Bradley – women have been largely absent from our legislature. I often wonder why this is, but I believe the answer may lie in the nature of our politics, and the focus on character assassination rather than debate on the key issues affecting the country and how those should be addressed. This seems to be the mode of operation that we have been stuck in, for some time, and as a result we have not seen any meaningful change on our political landscape.
Thankfully, more and more persons, especially the young people, are ready for a new perspective — a new approach to political leadership and campaigning. If you listen to what is happening on the ground, you will recognize that people are fed up with politicians on all sides of the political divide. They are tired of empty rhetoric, broken promises, smear campaigns etc. They prefer not to vote than to vote for what they consider to be the “same ole, same ole”. All political hopefuls need to take note. The Anguillian people want more. The Anguillian people deserve more. They deserve better. Our people want to see progress and prosperity for all Anguillians. They want to see good governance and transparency. They are pleading for integrity and efficiency in all areas of government. They want to see their tax dollars spent on making improvements in health, education and infrastructure.
The sleepy Anguilla, that those of my generation are content with, is not the Anguilla that will keep this generation or future generations here. This generation requires, at the very least, an Anguilla with a vibrant entertainment scene, a favourable climate for business development, a thriving economy and job opportunities enabling them to make a good living, superior telecommunications services and ease of travel to the rest of the world. Political leaders and aspirants must be sensitive to this new dynamic. They must recognize that the needs and interests of the voting public have evolved over time. Our people are increasingly concerned about the ability of political leaders to deliver — rather than their ability to score points on their opponents. This is a good thing and, hopefully, this wave of more conscious voters, focused on national issues, will clear the way for more women to offer themselves for political leadership.
There is no doubt that women have a lot to offer. Not only do they represent approximately one half of our population, but (without meaning to be stereotypical) they are generally great multi-taskers, astute problem solvers, budget managers and mediators. They will certainly bring a different perspective to matters being debated before the House of Assembly and, if selected as Ministers of Government, we will expect that they will seek to promote and protect the interests of the Anguillian people. I look forward to more women presenting themselves for consideration in the 2020 elections. This is a wakeup call for those political parties and hopefuls who are preparing to run their usual “tit for tat” campaigns with the usual suspects. They must now rethink and regroup because the women are coming!
