The Anguillian
June 2nd, 2012
Dear Editor:
Every year as Anguilla Day comes around, we listen and watch to see what new fad comes down the pike. This year was no different. As we listened to speaker after speaker speak his or her piece, we knew that sooner or later it was bound to happen. Though it took some time before it reared its head, we somehow sensed that given the players on stage, sooner or later, someone would let the cat out of the bag.
Given that we are now experiencing one of the worst waves of anti-social behavior in a while, what could they possibly talk about? You guessed it. Independence. That’s right. I said it. Independence. Have our leaders lost their bloody minds? These people can’t be serious. The implications are mindboggling. We have so many things happening concurrently that are seriously kicking the crap out of us, and they want independence? Will someone please slap some sense into this man? What is he thinking?
Well, you know what? Alright let’s put this thing to rest. Mr. Chief Minister. Call for your referendum. Put your money where your mouth is. Let’s do this. Let’s put this matter to rest once and for all. Start the clock and let’s educate the people about what this move entails. Let’s tell them that you have all the necessary measures in place. Let’s tell them what the time frame for this is. Let’s tell them what the key issues are. Let’s tell them about international law, and let’s discuss economics. What is our financial situation? What will our future earning situation be? What are the costs of the transition, and how will this affect us when we finally walk away fromEngland? Let’s tell the people that we have a constitution that reflects all that we need to have in place. Let’s tell the people what you plan to do after you make the big move. I know some will say that we didn’t know anything when we broke away from St. Kitts, and my argument is we’re comparing apples to oranges. What do we tell the people? Here’s your chance and, with the blessing of the Father of the Nation, go for it.
We know that you are a very astute politician, you could not have lasted this long by just being lucky. We know that your every move is calculated. You even managed to get an endorsement from Mr. Webster. That’s all well and good. You still have to go out and sell us on this grand idea of yours. Don’t misunderstand me. We should all aspire to be independent when the time comes. We have to have the right conditions under which to make that move. Things like people who could actually govern. People who understand what’s involved. As it stands right now, we’re doing a half-baked job and we’re still tethered toBritain. What happens when they’re no longer around? I, as a citizen ofAnguilla, would want to know that I have a leader or leaders who actually know what the hell they are doing. This is not something to be taken lightly.
Let’s put this thing in context. Scotlandhas been vying for independence fromGreat Britainsince 1997 and they have to answer the same questions that I posed earlier. Though we both aspire to be independent, and are on parallel paths, our dispositions are entirely different. Scotlandhas an established infrastructure, an annual income of 45% of 3.5 billion pounds from their North Sea Oil and Gas business and they’ve already held their referendum. They’re also faced with the astronomical responsibilities of opening embassies around the world which come with a once off price tag. These are just some of the hurdles that, as a young independent nation, we’ll have to scale. How are we to do this? Is anyone listening? Do we as a people fully understand the implications here? Chief Minister, God loves you, but this is madness. Take a look around. Look atSt. Kitts and Nevis, and I’m not picking on these guys. They’re just playing with the hand that they’ve been dealt, as is every otherCaribbeannation. They’ve been sold a bill of goods, that in fact was fools gold. Winston Churchill once said, “He who does not learn from history is doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.”
I am not running scared here. I am merely stating facts. If we are going to go down this path then, though we may not see every hurdle that blindsides us, we at least need to know what and where they are.
It’s always been easy to bring up independence, and I’ll say this: If our present situation is a harbinger of things to come, then I say no thank you. So I say, call for your referendum and let’s take this to the people and put this matter to rest once and for all, so that we can get back to addressing the serious issues that we now face.
We are in dire straits and this talk of independence is a distraction from the real problems that we face. It’s time to put up or shut up. Let’s take this thing to the people and hear what they have to say. I dare you! Let’s not lose sight of what we have to do. Talk is cheap and action speaks louder than words, to use an old cliché. Independenceis a lofty goal, one that should be approached with careful thought. Once achieved, there is no turning back. Are you willing to take 15,000 of us with you down that blind path? Don’t get me wrong. I’m well aware of the saying “nothing ventured, nothing gained” and I subscribe to it, and I take responsibility for myself. Are you sir, willing to take the responsibility for all 15000 of us?
Again I say, independence is a lofty goal and one that should be approached when we’re absolutely 100 percent sure that we have the wherewithal to be self-sufficient in managing our own affairs. To those who like the Duke of York, who marched his ten thousand men to where they didn’t know whether they were up or down, ask yourself a few questions. Are you doing this for posterity or are you doing this because you know in your heart that it is the only way to go?
A CONCERNED ANGUILLIAN
