In this heightened political season, Anguillians are regularly bombarded with all kinds of messaging, mostly of a negative nature; messages designed to eliminate political opponents; messages filled with half-truths and whole lies; messages that do absolutely nothing to uplift our people but are painstakingly designed to deepen the divide along partisan political lines.
If we are not conscious of these tactics, then we become part of a master plan to drown out the voices of the majority, for an Anguilla controlled with an iron fist by a minority of dishonourable and corrupt political actors who thrive on fooling the masses for their own advantage. Such happenings remind me of Georg Orwell’s famous book “Animal Farm”, an interesting tale of the power of coercion and control in which the final chapter describes the outcome of the authoritarian rule of top pig Napoleon: “Somehow it seemed as though the farm had grown richer without making the animals themselves any richer – except, of course, for the pigs and the dogs.”
The question that we must now ask is how do we stop the enslavement of our minds? In Bob Marley’s Redemption Song, the answer is clear: “…..emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds.” Indeed, the power lies within each of us to overcome coercion and control, by finding our voice and using that voice, as a force for positive transformation in the political landscape of Anguilla. As citizens, we have a responsibility to question, to investigate, to inquire and most importantly to express our dissent and dissatisfaction with our current leaders and to reel against the status quo. What is this status quo? This status quo is riddled with corruption, nepotism, lack of transparency and accountability, increased inequality, unfairness and an air of arrogance which knows no bounds, where those elected to govern believe that they are above reproach or correction.
This status quo is not what our forefathers and revolutionists fought for. The current state of affairs is not what our national heroes and heroines envisioned when they put their very lives on the line and made tremendous sacrifices for an Anguilla that was free to determine its own path and destiny. Sadly, we have been conditioned to accept the unacceptable and to be silent in the face of social injustice. The political divide has been deepened and exploited by corrupt politicians whose thirst for power and prestige continues to ravage our prospects for real and tangible growth. This is currently being exemplified in the constitutional reform process, where many opted to abandon the cause to fight for the best outcome for our people and our children’s children, because it did not appear politically expedient or personally convenient at all points. I will continue to be the voice of the people in this regard, because I understand that our future and our children’s future are at stake and we must ensure that we do everything in our power to highlight the deficiencies and argue against the undemocratic means by which the AUF government has undertaken this process of constitutional reform.
It is now our responsibility, as Anguillians, to return to our core principles and values, putting country above party and self-interest. This is achieved only when we recognise that we are truly our brother’s keeper and it is our duty to act in the best interests of all. Over the years we have been conditioned to look out only for ourselves to the detriment of the country, not recognizing that we are partakers in a sinister plan to fill the coffers of “the pigs and the dogs” as George Orwell’s satire describes them. If we continue down this path we are doomed. I encourage every right-thinking Anguillian to speak out against the corrupt system that threatens our very democracy and to fight against tyranny and oppression in all its forms. Let the new revolution be an awakening of the minds of our people never again to be enslaved by questionable political characters with one agenda – to exploit and destroy our people and country for selfish ambition, greed, power and control. This has been the narrative for too long and the intolerance for this current situation is growing. We must be guided by truth, honesty and sincerity. We must stay alert and participate to ensure that we do not remove one corrupt regime and replace it with another – there are wolves in sheep’s clothing all around us. Instead, let us recognize that a new government of the people, by the people and for the people, rests within a vision of ONEness, Integrity, Competence and Commitment to service above self. This is the One Anguilla Vision
– The people are Ready!
