Fellow Anguillians,
It is my honour to wish everyone at home and abroad the best wishes for this New Year that we have just welcomed.
On behalf of my family, and the Anguilla Progressive Movement, we are pleased to have shared these moments of joy and hope that this holiday season brought. We also wish to offer heartfelt condolences to all who have lost loved ones in the past year. Death has certainly claimed some of our stalwarts and patriots in 2019. May their souls rest in peace.
The holiday season was a time to reconnect with family and friends, and to not only reflect on the challenges and successes of the last year, but on the vision for a brighter, better future, fashioned and informed by all the experiences of 2019.
Indeed, 2020 is a year that comes with the hope every New Year brings. But there is more anticipation and expectation about this year.
There is that endless possibility which we all must embrace. There is a sense of history about now – and about the months ahead. And a sense of duty about where we should all stand at this juncture that offers both change and redemption.
In this New Year, Anguillians will have a golden opportunity to reshape their destiny by first, reclaiming the lost years, and then embarking on a journey, solidified by our faith, that will forge a new path for development and empowerment.
I stand here today as hopeful as I have ever been, in my lifetime, about our Anguilla and its people. If anything 2019 has taught me, it is that our people are ready to embrace every challenge, and are prepared to make an impact on their own destiny.
The first quarter of this year will obviously be dominated by this unfolding election campaign. The party which I lead – the Anguilla Progressive Movement – is ready to continue to engage you on the issues that are of most concern to you.
We are busy drafting a plan for development and empowerment – a plan authored by your own dreams and aspirations; and influenced by the concerns you have voiced.
The honour is mine to have been given the opportunity to lead this able team of men and women who are ready to form the next government of this country.
We look forward to a robust debate with our opponents on the ideas for development – though we are not particularly hopeful that they will engage in the way you – and a serious democracy – deserve.
We have already seen a glimpse of their old strategy; one of deny and deflect; one of making excuses and name-calling, and of hiding behind social media to spread lies and distortions.
It is our team which is offering ideas for economic empowerment, and for the development of youth and women.
We have sent a clear signal about where we stand regarding Anguillian workers, particularly those in the hotel sector.
Surrogates for the incumbent administration have already shown fits of panic in their failed attempts to deliberately set up a false narrative about the alliances we are building.
We are building an alliance of people from all walks of life, but particularly the workers. Our alliance embodies all patriots, young and old, female and male, employees and employers.
Our philosophy is to pay particular attention to the plight of the workers, and to help set up an environment where they will be treated with dignity and earn a livable wage.
We shall never sell them short because they are the backbone of this society. They represent the life-blood of this economy.
We will show in our campaign, that the APM is the movement that will not just talk-the-talk about making a better way for the workers of this country; but is prepared to do what this retiring administration has not done – empower our people, provide opportunity and look out for their well-being.
Our duty as proud residents of Anguilla is to guard against the creeping desperation of a government that has run out of ideas, and which is now quickly running out of time.
This Government will seek to distract you with lies and distortions; they will seek to make this about personality rather than performance; about fear rather than about the future.
The campaign we shall wage in 2020 will be inspired by facts not fear; by constructive dialogue and not cynicism. Our goal is to preserve ANGLEC for the people of Anguilla and to explore options to restore local ownwership in the banking sector.
We will adopt a policy that embraces a low-tax economy that encourages growth and expansion; and that rewards innovation. A society that creates new opportunities for its young; and rewards the lifetime of service of its elderly.
Indeed, we are glad that the people of Anguilla are embracing this progressive agenda.
That is why I am so hopeful for this New Year.
For the many of you who have had to endure one of the most difficult years of your lifetime, find the strength to celebrate the New Year – and find the strength in remembering the Psalm that assures: weeping endureth for the night, but joy cometh in the morning.
All of us Anguillians – hand-in-hand – must go forward believing that better must come.
The conversations we have had in the old year, will continue in this New Year; in fact, they will be deepened.
Indeed, 2020 is the year we will make history together — through discipline and determination; through unity of purpose and strength of conviction.
We are a strong, proud and resilient people, who can get knocked down; but we always get up, dust ourselves off and then keep moving forward. It is this spirit, inherited from our forefathers, forged with experience, and bonded with love, which will ensure our survival and secure a successful future for our beloved country.
Happy New Year everyone! Best wishes to you and your family – and may all that you wish for in the New Year come true.
God bless you, and May God continue to bless Anguilla.
Thank you.
