It was the late American poet Maya Angelou who wrote the following words in Still I Rise:
“…You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I’ll rise…
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise…”
There is no doubt that out of the shambles left by Hurricane Irma, the despair and hopelessness, Anguilla has risen. We have been ravaged, beaten and left for dead but, just like dust or that seemingly immortal villain in a movie, we still rose. To say we are a special people is not flattery or an overstatement. It is indeed the truth. We have had a long history of struggle. Mother nature has presented many challenges for us – based on our barren landscape, rocky soil and our placement in the firing range of Atlantic hurricanes. Devastation by drought, famine and hurricanes has been a part of our history for centuries. However, there is no doubt that the 2017 season was the worst on record and, in many ways, presented our greatest setback in our modern history. For us, leaving is not, and has never been, a choice we would entertain. We are not good at lying down and playing dead. It is not a part of who we are.
The last year has seen the peaceful departure from this life of many national icons, including (to name a few) the late Sir Emile Gumbs, the late Daisy Wong Richardson and the late Albert A R Lake. As a nation, as we said our goodbyes, we felt a deep sense of loss as those persons would have played an instrumental role in the shaping of the Anguilla we enjoy today. But while we said our farewells to our elders, we also had reason to greet each new day with hope as we saw the emergence of several of our youngsters representing Anguilla with distinction in the local, regional and international arena. This gave us the assurance that all is not lost in Anguilla.
We celebrated the selection of Jahmar Hamilton as part of the West Indies Cricket Team. We were overjoyed with the performances and medal placements of Shara Proctor and Zharnel Hughes at the Commonwealth Games and, most recently, the Muller Anniversary Games in London. Hasani Hennis thrilled us with his first-place win at the John T Memorial Cycle Race. Our young athletes made us proud as they stood on the medal podium repeatedly at the recently held athletic championships in Nevis. And we won world attention and applause when our very own Ms Anguilla 2017, Ms Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers, was recently crowned Ms Universe Great Britain and will be representing Great Britain in the upcoming Ms Universe pageant.
Anguilla is indeed a little island with a big heart and loads of talent. There is a lot to be thankful for, and lots to give us hope for a promising future for our young people and the generations to come. No wind is strong enough to extinguish our Anguillian pride; nor is any fire hot enough to burn our determination to the ground. As a testimony to the latter, the community effort to rebuild Johnno’s and Dad’s, after their destruction by fire a few weeks ago, is nothing short of amazing. Recognising the importance of these institutions, as integral parts of what makes Anguilla’s laid-back entertainment vibe so special, there was no hesitation on the part of our people to rebuild. There was no way we were going to let a fire destroy such iconic business establishments. The contributions made by people from all walks of life, both in and outside Anguilla, are a testament that human compassion is still alive and well.
While there is still a long road to recovery ahead for Anguilla as a whole, and for many persons and businesses, there is no doubt that Anguilla is rising. Anyone who has studied Anguilla’s history will know that this is not surprising. We are used to adversity and have never used that as an excuse for lack of progress in any area. They say when life gives you lemons you make lemonade. We say when life gives you wind, rain or fire you make a comeback.
“Did you want to see [us] broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by [our] soulful cries?
…Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
[We] rise
Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear
[We] rise” (Maya Angelou)
