The three candidates in District 1, contesting the forthcoming general election in Anguilla, faced eight questions from students at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School several days ago. The questions, though largely child-oriented, were nevertheless important, searching and challenging and well in line with the students’ social studies curriculum.
The candidates, in order of their seating, were Mr Othlyn Vanterpool, the Anguilla United Front’s Elected Representative for the district; Ms Pamalvon Webster, Independent Candidate; and Dr Ellis Lorenzo Webster, Leader of the Anguilla United Movement. The students were from Grades 4, 5 and 6, but only two of them – Akisha Morgan and Khiondra Walters – posed the scripted questions.
Mrs Mavis Fleming-Drakes, Principal of the school, where there is a roll of 100 students, explained the reason for the event. “It was organised so that the students can obtain some useful experience and information through their social studies curriculum,” she told The Anguillian. “Part of the curriculum for Grades 4, 5 and 6 is about politics, government structure and so on. And since politics is hot at present, we wanted to hear it from the horses’ mouth – so we invited each of the candidates in the district to tell us what they are going to do for us. The questions were from the students, not the teachers.”
The questions were as follows:
• Why did you decide to run for election?
• What can we do to become politicians like you when we grow up?
• At our school, we have a few children who are struggling with behavioural problems. If you are elected, as a parliamentary representative for this district, how would you work with the school in assisting those children?
• Fishing is very important to the people in this district. What plans do you have to improve this industry?
• What would you do to provide more jobs for people, especially the young people of this district?
• There is a rumour going around about the relocation of our school. What would that mean for us in terms of transportation etc? What are your thoughts about this?
• What will you do to help the people in District 1, if you win this seat?
• What plans, if any, do you have to improve early childhood education in this district?
Each of the three candidates gave two-minute replies to the questions – largely based on some of their separate platform promises. The opportunity was taken by the politicians, however, to advise the students about the importance of education in order to prepare them for their future roles and professions in Anguilla.
On the question about the rumour to relocate the school, Dr Webster replied in part: ”It ain’t going to happen. No matter who say that they want the school to move – it isn’t going to happen because this school has a certain appeal to it. It has a sentimental value to be here on this beach. It will stay on this place and nobody can try to move it elsewhere and build a hotel on this beach. It ain’t going to happen here in Island Harbour – not under my administration. This school has so much potential. It has produced some of the most intelligent people in Anguilla and I include Pam. We went to school here and this school has the potential where we can set up a marine biology institute that it can feed into…Wherever they are thinking about moving it, it is not going to happen. No person is going to get any government to say that this school is going to move. We can use the surroundings of this school to do everything we want to do – including a recreation field and expand the school to include bigger and more modernised classrooms.”
Ms Webster stated in part: “The rumour you referred to, is a rumour; and I know that in the last election it was a big issue – whether or not the school will be moved…I think that there is a wonderful opportunity for us in District 1 to create a school and, if we stay here, all the better. But what is important is that in the roll-out of our vision for District 1, we want our school – the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School – to be a mecca – the leader in terms of technology and science. All the economists everywhere are saying there is a need for science, technology and math…If we can marry that in our context, our history, our heritage, and be proud, then we are in a very good place and won’t have to move…The fact that we would be the mecca of Anguilla, in terms of our school being the most outstanding in science and technology, and our building reflecting that, and with the industries around it – the fishing and boat-building justifying where we are – it will put our children in the forefront of change for the future.”
Mr Vanterpool commented: “I also heard that rumour – that there are those who are planning to relocate the school and put some type of tourism development here. Dr Webster was very convincing that the school will not be moved…Provided that I am around here, as your representative, the school ain’t going anywhere. It doesn’t matter who wants it, how much they are prepared to pay for it, the school is staying here. We are the only place in Anguilla, may be in the Caribbean, where we have such an ambience. You don’t need air condition units up here. You are on the beach. You are in a position that no other school here is in now, or will be in the future. I want to concur with Dr Webster that the school is not going anywhere and transportation will not become an issue.”
