There was a movement to secure a national holiday to celebrate the birthday of James Ronald Webster, who is generally described as the Father of the Nation. That movement was successful and we now annually celebrate the 2nd day of March as a public holiday. We celebrate the man, but do we honour his aspirations?
Mr. Webster is famously known to have said that he did not want Anguilla to become a nation of waiters and busboys. Today, this sentiment is reflected more in the aspirations of individuals than in the aspirations of our leaders. Despite the obvious difficult times, and in the absence of Government funded scholarships, persons are still finding ways to secure tertiary level training for themselves or their children. Their perseverance, and in some instances their innovation, must be commended.
But what of our leadership? Why is it that our leaders appear to be glorifying in what appears to be an increasing state of dependency? Since 2017, development of physical infrastructure in Anguilla has been courtesy of United Kingdom taxpayers. The UK funding has been welcomed and it was much needed after the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma. An apparent side effect of the UK’s timely assistance seems to be a growing state of dependency on the part of our leaders.
We now appear to be courting handouts rather than working deliberately to pay our own way. Recent proclaimed accomplishments include a privately funded school-feeding programme, a computer lab for one of our primary schools and a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machine. The recent commissioning and dedication of the MRI machine featured a description of the depths to which we have sunk in terms of our dependency. Honourable Premier Webster took pride in explaining his persistence in seeking funding from various donors / individuals to facilitate every step associated with the securing of the installation of the MRI machine. Should we feel pride in our Premier’s willingness and ability to solicit funds from entities and individuals?
The offer of funding, freely given and unsolicited, is to be welcomed. Funding solicited by organisations such as charitable foundations, established for such a purpose is to be welcomed. The solicitation of funds by our Honourable Premier cannot be readily welcomed. It is generally accepted that there is no such thing as a free lunch. It is, therefore, sensible to consider whether the solicitation of funds, even if for a national cause, will likely attract something in return – if not immediately, in time to come.
It is one thing when a public school solicits funds from the community at large and another when a Government leader personally secures funding from private sources. The direct involvement of ministers in such arrangements has the potential to lead to untoward relations, which every effort should be made to shun. Building an Anguilla that is proud, strong and free, demands nothing less.
