Never before has such a turnabout been seen in Anguilla’s history. The glorified is now being vilified, while the vilified is now being glorified. In 2020 the Anguilla United Front (AUF) was enemy number one – and had to go. Change to the Anguilla Progressive Movement (APM), could not wait, if we were to be rescued from what was said to be a state of despair. This seemed to be the message of the many pundits who successfully sold the APM to the electorate.
Now here we are in 2021, and many of the pundits are now roundly denouncing the party they so successfully sold to the electorate. What is particularly perturbing about this about face is the swift turnabout – and the personalities who are central to this swift turnabout. Persons who appear to have been integral to the electoral success of the APM are now roundly denouncing them, in a very public manner.
What has motivated this dramatic turnabout – is apparently failure on the part of the APM to deliver on political promises, whether of a national or personal nature. Discontent with the APM’s performance or failure to perform, depending on one’s perspective, is manifesting itself in calls for the resignation of Premier Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster. Similar calls are being made for Ministers Dee-Ann Kentish–Rogers and Kyle Hodge to resign, in solidarity with the disenchanted electorate. The suggestion is that these two young politicians still have some political capital with the electorate – which they can salvage if they distance themselves from the APM.
Understandably, supporters of the ousted AUF Party find the very vocal discontentment of former integral members of the APM Party quite humorous. Many persons are not being shy about reminding APM supporters that they had warned them – and what they are now feeling is as a result of their failure to heed their warnings. While a momentary feeling of glee, on the part of AUF supporters, in the face of such public turnabout by key APM supporters, is understandable, the deeper implications and potential national fallout should not be overlooked.
Anguilla has been plagued with various trials for more than a decade. The Banking Crisis had to be addressed; and the severe destruction caused to Anguilla’s physical infrastructure and the economy generally, by Hurricane Irma, had to be contended with. While we continue to wrestle with these trials we must now also contend with COVID-19 and the new challenges it has brought with it, such as the interruption in the efficient and effective delivery of services. We really do not need to add instability in Government to the many woes Anguilla has had to face in recent times. Any momentary glee, because of the turnabout of APM supporters must be truly momentary, as our wish as a people should be for stability in Government so that we can overcome the many challenges that continue to plague us.
While some persons find merriment in the unfolding of our various political sagas, developers and the United Kingdom Government are very likely to be giving deliberate consideration to how they can achieve their desired objectives, and how best our internal wrangling can assist them in achieving their desired ends. Sometimes their desired ends may not be in Anguilla’s best interests. Mutiny, or the talk of mutiny, is unlikely to advance our national interests. Those among us who have found glee in the rapid turnabout of former integral APM supporters, would now do well to consider national interests and encourage stability in government, rather than simply finding joy in the public denouncement of our duly elected Government, by those who were instrumental in securing their election. I would venture to say that this is likely to be the advice of former Premier, Mr. Victor F. Banks, who was once vilified, and is now glorified by the very persons who vilified him.
What benefit will there be, if things fall apart?
