It is good to see our newly repaired House of Assembly being utilised, and I must commend the work of all involved including the members of staff who would have made several sacrifices and adjustments, over the years, to ensure that the people’s business was carried out with minimal interruptions. This is indeed a testament to the level of commitment of our public servants – and I wish to congratulate them on a job well done.
Having served as Leader of Opposition and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee from 2015-2020, I wish to share some of my thoughts as the new members of Opposition settle into their new roles. Being the sole member of Opposition was by no means an easy task. However, I did my utmost best and performed with the understanding of the importance of these positions to the proper functioning of the House of Assembly and our democratic system of governance.
As the politics of Anguilla continues to be fluid with the eps and flows of political parties and independent candidates, the Opposition now comprises four members of the House of Assembly, with the Hon. Cora Richardson-Hodge now taking up the role of Leader of Opposition.
It is important to note that the role of Opposition is to question and scrutinise the work of the Government in the best interest of the people. This has been reiterated by the current members of Opposition, and it is my hope that they will perform this duty to the best of their ability. Having worked across the aisle with some of these members during my five years as an Elected Member, it is my hope that the work of the Public Accounts Committee will continue unabated as this important institution bears even greater significance under a new administration.
I wish to publicly commend the Hon. Cora Richardson-Hodge for her national address and report on the first 100 days of the new APM Administration. It was indeed important to highlight to the Anguillian people how the many promises during the last election campaign have since been forgotten. Such is the case in the politics of Anguilla where the political rhetoric continues to deceive many, and where the hope and promise of a brighter future is met with the stark realities of governance in uncertain and economically challenging times. This is an important reminder to our people – “all that glitters is not gold.” The decisions that we make have serious and long lasting consequences.
Shifting from government to opposition is also an opportunity for my former colleagues to reflect on the factors that contributed to such a circumstance, and to evaluate the discharge of their functions as Elected Representatives. This is the true mark of all good leaders: to admit their shortcomings and work to improve on their performance. Having the experience of sitting on both sides of the aisle gives one Member, in particular, the opportunity to be a teacher for the newcomers who have no previous experience in the functions and operations of government.
It is my hope that the business of the House will be conducted with fairness by a non-biased Speaker. It is also my hope that the Elected Members will focus on substance rather than bravado or grandstanding, which does little to serve the interests of the people. As Anguillians, we must take responsibility for being informed about the decisions being taken by policy-makers that will have a direct impact on our quality of life. The upcoming debates in the House of Assembly, by all indications, will be interesting, to say the least, and perhaps will give all of us a preview of the type of governance, and the temperament of our leaders, that we can expect to see over the next five years.
