On Tuesday evening 18th April 2017 Pam Wester, elected member for District 1 and Leader of the Opposition, held what may go down in history as a game-changing meeting for politics in Anguilla, at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School in Island Harbour.
The meeting was packed to capacity and what Pam Webster said gave her the greatest joy was the presence and active participation of so many intelligent and engaged participants. She had called the meeting as the first of many intended steps to fulfil her promise that she would report back to the people on her task as District One representative and as Leader of the Opposition and would consult with them on the way forward. She intends to continue that process throughout the length and breadth of Anguilla, with the next such meeting being planned to be held in The Valley to be announced in due course.
The meeting took the form of a consultation, under the guidance and help of a non-partisan facilitator, who would welcome the opportunity to assist communities throughout Anguilla, on a non-profit basis, regardless of their political persuasions, and whose aim is to find solutions for Anguilla. He is James Pryor, a retired professional communications consultant, who has taken his consultation process to some 40 countries over a career spanning 50 years and who has retired to Anguilla and would like to use his experience to help the Anguilla he loves to move forward.
The format of the meeting was first to identify what overall question is top priority for Anguilla. this was expressed as “What Needs to be Done in Anguilla?” The process of consultation put forward by Jim Pryor involved four rules for the participants:
(1) Suspend Judgment – in other words don’t rubbish an idea that has been put forward, even if you disagree with it. That stifles ideas. Allow everyone’s ideas to be expressed without interruption or lack of attention. The process of generating ideas is separate from the process of selecting the best ideas.
(2) No Speeches – in other words produce your idea, but don’t drown it in a sea of words.
(3) Be Fully Present – pay attention; don’t have distracting side discussions; keep your cellphone off and engage with the process.
(4) Churn Kernels to Rich Ideas – as the ideas for achieving the principal objective emerge, keep thinking of solutions that are taking shape and bring them forward.
The process advocated by Jim Pryor, which was demonstrably highly successful, entailed pinning up ideas as they were brought forward. The meeting participation was unprecedented and showed all too clearly the positive value of engaging everyone in the development of solutions, rather than imposing so-called solutions that serve only the interests of those with vested interests.
The central theme the meeting decided to explore was: “What needs to be done in Anguilla?”
Arising out of that theme many issues were brought forward. The issue that weighed most heavily with the meeting was the need for political accountability and the elimination of corruption.
Other issues considered to be top priority included greater investment in education and supporting and valuing our teachers; Enforcement of the law and crime prevention; the development of a media committed to the truth; saving homes and land from mass disposal sell-off; the introduction of a national development plan; youth training, job creation, engagement and leadership; changing customs duty laws to encourage and enhance the competitiveness of local industry; marketing Anguilla’s beaches to distinguish Anguilla from other prospering destinations; the provision of affordable health care for everyone.
Pam Webster concluded the meeting by warmly thanking everyone present for their highly constructive participation. She emphasised that this had been a community meeting with a difference. It was all about Anguilla coming together and uniting. The usual partisan party bashing had, entirely intentionally, been totally and notably absent, and that had created a welcome and highly constructive atmosphere. It was just the start of a community initiative and Pam encouraged everyone who loves Anguilla to actively find ways to show their love and support for each other and themselves, to engage in positive steps to work towards solutions and to restore decency and integrity to our institutions. She will be announcing future such meetings over the coming months.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
