“Say One You Say Two”
I am not playing the blame game, but I will say we must learn to “talk the talk and walk the walk”. With all due respect, (I am mature enough to have the utmost respect for CM Hughes and the Government of Anguilla although; we are not always on the same page). For instance, to lament regarding the businesses that have sprung up in Anguilla, does not create a solution, but if you “say one you have to say two”. What is the solution to the issue of concern? Is this issue being addressed by our aspiring politicians? Is the issue of e-cigarettes that have sprung up in Anguilla being addressed for our children’s sake?
The folks who are in Anguilla from such faraway places like the Pacific Rim and the Far East; have one thing in mind, i.e. to find gainful employment and send their remittances to families back home; go back home after a few years; or in the case of the latter they are simply cashing in on mass consumerism in Anguilla, or wherever they set up shop. For that matter, they are all over the Motherland (the continent of Africa). According to the global economic experts they are exploiting her (the world’s largest supply) of natural and mineral resources. It has almost become like the “Triangular Trade” during slavery. Europeans took (raw materials from the Continent to another part of the world) transformed those raw materials into cheap good (mass production) to be sold in markets where mass consumerism takes place. Be careful with these mass produced goods from certain parts of the world, electrical appliances have caught fires, or clothing became flammable near a stove. There is absolutely no quality assurance wherever these goods are being mass produced.
There is no way in the world, an Anguillan would be able to go to the Far East region, and be able to open a supermarket or business to compete with the existing business community, or find gainful employment. So, if a worker should not be imported from the Far East, why should they be imported en masse from the Pacific Rim? You open the flood gates, and one day you wake up and our own children; would be hard pressed to pursue a business opportunity, or find gainful employment in the public or private sector in Anguilla. Sometime ago, I attended a tourism conference in Anguilla. One of the tourism officials was talking up the “Anguilla Experience”. My question was (and there was absolutely no pun intended), if you are talking up the Anguilla Experience, how can it happen when many of the workers in key positions are from any and everywhere? It seemed that the official was more interested in why I was at the conference, rather than responding to my question.
In terms of some of the fast food establishments that have also sprung up, do you know what I know? In my city, even as young folk back in the day, we noticed when the food establishment employees run by Chinese sat down to eat their own meals; they did not eat what they serve to the public. They ate fresh wholesome meals that were prepared to nourish their bodies. Even then, it sent a major red flag. After the U.S Food and Drug Administration began to share information regarding MSG (monosodium glutamate); they posted signs in their restaurants stating “no MSG”. It is a salt that is chemically converted into a food flavour enhancer. However, according to the experts, the products that many of those restaurants used to cook with did have MSG.
I love to cook my own food and have been known to take my cooking gear (used as a metaphor) with me, wherever I go. So does the legendary Ms. Patti Labelle. I really don’t know how the food is prepared in certain establishments, (are hand washed, are gloves being worn by the food preparers, is the cooking area clean, is days old trans fat being used over and over again, is there food borne bacteria lurking around, or if it is cooked with products that contain MSG?. According to the experts, MSG is one of the most dangerous food additives on the market. It will induce all kinds of toxins in your body and can (to name a few): trigger migraine headaches, some folks have been known to have an allergic reaction that causes a rash all over their bodies, can cause muscle weakness, rapid heartbeat, drowsiness, burning sensations, obesity (when given to mice in an experiment), and hormone fluctuation, as well as raise your blood pressure and your cholesterol level.
You are what you eat. Back in the day, when we had coal pots, limestone ovens, and outdoor cooking, we cooked up a storm of some healthy traditional Anguillan food. Now that most everyone has all the latest appliances, I have heard some folks say they are too tired to cook. It does not take long to steam some fish with ground provisions, bake some chicken, stir fry some vegetables, or prepare a nice healthy delicious salad? If you are blessed with a piece of soil around your house, grow some of what you eat, learn to fish. It is healthy brain food. Our children are our most precious resources; let them partake of food that will keep their brains active, promote positive social behavior, excel in school, remain focused and keep their bodies healthy and robust.
Let me share with you a powerful lesson in the struggle to gain respect; and to develop a heightened sense of consciousness to become loyal, unify and support your own business community. During the year of 1955, the “Mother of the African American Civil Rights Movement” the late legendary Rosa Parks was arrested and jailed for refusing to give up her seat to a Caucasian man on a public bus. A day later, the entire African American community in Montgomery, Alabama mobilized, under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and began a boycott of the public bus system on December 1, 1955. It ended during December 1956. Amidst threats, bombings, burned cars, beatings and just plain evil intimidation, they refused to ride the segregated public bus system…they walked and car pooled day in and day out, saved their money and decided to also support their own business community en masse.
Guess what? During those months of the boycott, not only did the city of Montgomery experience a major revenue deficit, the public bus system was put out of business. Why? They had no longer had any loyal African American (who were the majority of riders), to tolerate the segregated public bus system. Folks got all their home grown pride up and decided; they were not going to take it anymore. They not only talked the talk they walked the walk. The legacy that began as a bus boycott culminated into a ten year (10) struggle of gains among people of African descent (national struggle in the U.S); the African American Civil Rights Movement to bring freedom, justice and equality), and brought about laws to protect the civil rights of all Americans.
Africans on the continent were inspired by the Movement, and began the quest under their own rule as independent nations. I trust that I have made demonstrated, the impact of the power of unity and loyalty towards your own community. Wherever you decided to eat or spend your hard earned dollars is your choice. Lesson learned the only way for any business to survive is, if they have a steady loyal clientele’ Make a conscious effort to support every Anguillan business that can supply your demand for goods and services. By the same token our traditional indigenous business community must make
that extra effort to provide excellent products and customer service to meet the needs of your loyal clientele’.
Anguilla had the distinction of being the only island in the Eastern Caribbean region; whereby the business community was not run or controlled by the landed gentry. We never had Chinese or Indian who were brought as indentured servants by Europeans to such as places like Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana did. They later became the merchant class who owned and operated most of the businesses on those islands. Anguilla had a majority population of African descent with a few folk who were mixed. Our African forefathers gave us a “jollification” model for entrepreneurship that was passed on from generation to generation. However, the only way that our long standing Anguillan tradition of entrepreneurship (creating, owning and managing our own small as well as major businesses), will continue as a thriving business community is; if the dire hearted Anguillan community practices home grown pride, and make a conscious effort to support our own businesses on a daily business. We were there before all others…make sure we stay afloat and continue to prosper.
On another note, inasmuch as I commend the recent workshops to teach and prepare our youngsters for the job market; we must also prepare them to explore current and future entrepreneurial opportunities in Anguilla. We must not only be the gatekeepers of that tradition; we must honor the wisdom of our forefathers who stood up back in the day and refused to move to Guyana. Take a good look at Anguilla today’… folk from any and everywhere have found the “Rock”. Some of the same folks, who used to cry down Anguilla as a “small island”, call us “Bubba Johnnies” and who were doubting Thomases’s, if we could go it alone after the revolution, are now all over Anguilla and they are not leaving.
In conclusion, I will say it like I mean it, (and there is no pun intended whatsoever). The businesses that have sprung up over Anguilla, see what some of the home grown folks, who take things for granted and complain how hard it is, don’t see. When they came to Anguilla, trust me they saw opportunities for mass consumerism all around them. They are an extension of a global business network mass produced goods in the Far East, and exported all over the world to keep their economy strong.
Do you know what I know? Some of these same folks I know for sure, despise anyone of African descent (most Anguillans are of African descent). Yet, they have descended on Anguilla, are operating businesses right in your backyard, and those who are working class have found gainful employment in your stores and shops. The only way folks are going to respect you in your own island nation, is if you keep them in check, and make sure that they do the right thing. It makes absolutely no sense to complain. How can someone come in my house and suddenly walk over me? In no way can that happen. No sense in complaining, if there are no immediate solutions to the issue and concerns regarding businesses that have sprung up in Anguilla. Our neighbors in nearby (St. Martin/St. Maarteen) have long declared with home grown pride “Antilleans first”…it is high time that we take the same stance and declare Anguillans’ first……enough said. [Name held upon request].
The information in the above article does not reflect the opinion of The Anguillian newspaper.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
