Mr. Victor F. Banks
Hon Chief Minister
P.O Box 60
The Secretariat
The Valley, Anguilla
3rd December 2018
Dear Assembly Members,
We come to you from a place of love, empathy, and gratitude.
First and foremost, thank you for connecting with ONE Anguilla Youth by extending an invitation to meet with Assembly Members to share our concerns as Citizens of Anguilla. Nevertheless, we were unable to attend due to timing, but do hope that the opportunity presents itself at another time.
Notwithstanding, we are more than willing to share who we are, the mission of our movement, as well as the burdens we bear. Firstly, we are ONE Anguilla Youth – a mass of young persons that reject the old style of politics; and refuse to be a window dressing for any Politician that presents empty promises designed to garner votes. We are a body of persons with a voice powerful enough to engineer political discourse, influence policy, and address issues directly linked to the Youths of Anguilla. We are advocates of unity, and we are here to champion the general interest and rights of our People. We have assembled ourselves to safeguard our future. We refuse to sit back and relax while government policies, actions and inactions move us further away from the “Anguillian Dream.” We are of the collective opinion that this present administration has failed the Youth of Anguilla, and we’ve lost hope in you, based on a series of empty promises and the overall state of Anguilla.
According to the current administration’s 2015 – 2020 Manifesto, we were promised that we would have witnessed by now the growth of hope, harmony, and optimism amongst ourselves – this, unfortunately, has yet to be fulfilled. Instead, our People are currently exporting their hopes to make it. By now, many Youths and Citizens of Anguilla have witnessed the behavior of our Political Leaders during Parliament, and are well aware of the terms “practice what you preach.” It is obvious to us, now, that this administration is not for hope, and is surely not advocating for harmony, but are supporters of division, bullying and exclusion. You are neither for the Youths nor the People of Anguilla, but you are surely “all about you” and your own prosperity.
Withal, the current administration has stated that it will work with commitment, passion and purpose to restore full employment, promote the payment of living wages in the lowest paying jobs and set up an effective national minimum wage, which we are yet to see. Youths, as well as the overall population of Anguilla have not received full employment or increased living wages, and have lost all hope for an effective national minimum wage. Unfortunately, unemployment has topped the charts of the survey entitled “The Voice of the Youth” as the third highest burden we continue to bear.
As for number 12 of the administration’s 15-point commitments, which states to emphasize mathematics, science, technology, the arts, engineering, creativity and business in education – the burden of education still managed to climb its way up and secured the spot as the second highest concern of our Youths. Our People are waiting eagerly to see Education reform. If we were to incorporate our assets and adopt some of the world’s best practices, we could develop a world-class education system for our children and grandchildren.
According to number 13 of the administration’s 15-point commitments, which states that the Government will implement an affordable National Health Insurance System, providing basic health care to all; raise the Health Authority of Anguilla’s service quality; and strengthen collaboration between the HAA and private healthcare providers, all within one year of being elected, are all developments we are yet to see. Regrettably, our People are not receiving quality service and no collaboration has occurred with private healthcare providers. In fact, we are at a disadvantage when our Government cannot afford to invest in our People by providing the best training possible for the key roles of our healthcare system. If our People are failing due to the lack of education, skills, and resources, sadly so will our system. Please bear in mind, that you – the Government of Anguilla – promised to prioritize the development of a “modern” medical complex, with a “new” hospital as its core that will serve the People of Anguilla.
Nevertheless, on the 6th day of September 2017 we were struck by the Category 5 life changing hurricane – Irma – or as referred to by our Chief Minister profoundly during parliament as “Mama Irma”. Our People suffered from the loss of jobs, the loss of homes, and the loss of their basic necessities, all of which are the complete opposite of what a Mother should impose upon her children. Though Irma has placed our Country and our People at a disadvantage, we were able to witness a blessing in disguise. Thanks to the Category 5 Hurricane, we have all witnessed the fulfillment of the administration’s promise to make physical improvements to primary schools, and the Albena Lake – Hodge Comprehensive School. Several buildings were demolished by Irma, that are now being rebuilt. Had it not been for Irma, it is our belief that the administration’s promise to timely complete hotels under construction, as well as to facilitate struggling projects and the reopening of closed projects would not have been achieved either.
On the other hand, we – the Youths of Anguilla – are still waiting to witness this administration’s partnership with the private sector to expand and strengthen existing job training programmes, expand entrepreneurial and business training programmes, the restoration and maintenance of full employment in traditional and new occupations in all sectors and industries, improved job security and stability and reduction of seasonality, as well as to promote the careers of Anguillian musicians, film makers, and other artists.
In line with your Manifesto promise it states that your principal strategic objective would involve greater public participation in governing Anguilla and in determining policies, which to our understanding involves transparency. As oppose to focusing on your constitutional and electoral reform vision for 2020, you have proceeded to exclude the People of Anguilla from your negotiations with the United Kingdom Government, which is yet another promise that needs to be fulfilled.
We thank you once again for your attention, and we eagerly await your written response to our concerns. It would be most helpful if you could outline which, out of the 15 promises, you intend to completely fulfill before 2020.
Yours Sincerely,
ONE Anguilla Youth
oneanguillayouth@gmail.com
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
