One of the sad points of the last two weeks of 2014 was the passing of the youthful and ambitious Brian Allen Hughes, son of the Chief Minister. The celebration of Brian’s life began on the second and third days of the New Year amidst a large gathering of family; friends; and well wishers. They all came to pay tribute to this young Anguillian whose untimely passing touched the hearts of so many. The tributes and the conversations that preceded them, all made mention of his humility and his generosity to all with whom he interacted. He will be dearly missed! May his soul rest in peace!
Still in the early days of the New Year, I was also privileged to be invited to the “listening party” for a new Anguillian artist, NATALIE. It took place at the exquisite Sheriva Resort on Sheriton’s Estates near Maunday’s Bay. NATALIE is the daughter of Nathaniel and Ethne Richardson (of Junk’s Hole) and she was produced by a vibrant team of young Anguillians known as Black Jetty. The title song of the album and the video is “Perfect”.
The project and the presentation epitomized Anguillian talent of all kinds at work. It showcased the talent of Anguillian Builder and Developer, Mr. Sheridan Smith, through the architectural masterpiece which he created at Sheriva. It showcased the collective creative talents of the young Anguillian producers who put the project together (Kenneth Brooks, Leonard Connor, Ludwig Grant and Derick Richardson). It showcased the songwriting skills of young Anguillian, Denecia Niles. It showcased the management ability of Anguillian Rebecca Webster. It showcased the genius in videography of Anguillian Rickiel Hodge. And all of this raw talent came together perfectly and appropriately in the delivery of “Perfect”, the song and the video performed by NATALIE. D.J. Jeanie set the stage for the occasion. Anguillian talent wall to wall!
I was particularly impressed by how well Natalie was able to articulate the issues that stifle young artists as they seek to give full expression to their talents. And she exuded a message of hope and confidence that I am certain triggered a pandemic of “goose bumps” throughout the audience. For me, even before I heard the raspy and sultry strains of her singing voice, she had already made me a “believer” that I was witnessing a Star — an Anguillian Star on the rise. She was “Perfect!”.
So 2015 began with both sadness and hope for our island. God’s plan dictates that while some of us will close our eyes in death — others will rise up with hope for bright tomorrow. The question is: What will all this mean for us? With general elections right around the corner we are on the threshold of decision-making that will affect the future of all Anguillians. Five years will elapse on February 15, 2015 when we were last called upon to make a similar decision. But it appears that the Chief Minister intends to take his five years and then some — because he has stated emphatically that elections will be held in April, 2015. However, whatever date is decided it is my hope that the electorate will have sufficient time and accurate information to make the right decision.
2015 also means that I have written more than 200 articles in The Anguillian newspaper. I began shortly after my defeat at the polls in 2010, and I was equally encouraged to write by my supporters – who wanted to hear another perspective on the issues – as well as by my detractors who seemed aggravated by the fact that I was critical of the Government. In light of the upcoming elections, and as a consequence of the need for me as the Leader of my Party to focus my attention on getting our message to the voters, it has become necessary for me to cut back on the time spent in this enterprise. I will not stop writing completely — but I will only be submitting articles occasionally. Fortunately, I have noticed that the number of persons writing articles and “letters to the editor” in The Anguillian newspaper has increased. This is a very healthy sign which I believe suggests that a number of persons are becoming interested in contributing to the print media as a means of getting their views to the public. Even though a number of these articles are being published anonymously — they are neither malicious nor cowardly. However, I would like to encourage these good citizens to take responsibility for their publications because it lends credibility to their ideas. I am looking forward to reading your columns as they evolve. It is important to mention that when I began writing my articles I had absolutely no intention of writing over 200.
I am particularly grateful to the Management and Staff of The Anguillian who were always patient and understanding when I had occasion to submit my articles late. Their tolerance was of great encouragement because it gave me the feeling that my submissions were an important part of the final product.
To the many readers who gave me encouragement to continue to write, through their kind expressions of appreciation for my weekly submissions, I hope that you understand my decision to focus my efforts on ensuring that the Anguilla United Front gets the opportunity once more to restore stability and prosperity to our island home. The last five years have not afforded us the kind of leadership that Anguilla deserves. This election is definitely about YOU and about bringing relief to the challenges we all have been facing.
As we move forward together in 2015 it will be necessary for all of us to spend some time to make sure that we get a good head start and remain focused on the things we want to achieve. We cannot leave anything up to chance — or take anything for granted. It is our responsibility to make it happen. I trust that everyone has made it his/her New Year’s resolution to make informed decisions about who he/she will choose to lead our island to a better place for all of us. That could make 2015 and the years ahead just PERFECT.
