The two plus weeks since 13th April 2019, when Kenny Mitchel was strangled to death, have been a trying two weeks in Anguilla’s history. Many discomforts have surfaced and we have been forced to address, face on, several colliding values. Who are we really? Are we “slaves” to tourism? Do our lives count for more than an expected eight day discussion about what happened? Will a life, and truth, be swept under a rug or forgotten to better safeguard the livelihood of others – brothers and sisters struggling to make ends meet? Will we remain accountable for our actions in a judicial system rife with challenges and complexity? Will justice prevail when wizard lawyers can magically create a reality that is more tolerable than the forensics show, for all to acquiesce in for safety, for numbness? What is the life of a “foreigner” worth anyway in a system that wreaks havoc with challenges to nationality? Is a 20 years residence in Anguilla sufficient to afford equal value to the life of a British citizen? What is the benefit to be pursued in inquiry, when we already know that our systems are deficient and that our leaders lack the desire to be accountable even? How farcical is it that another “foreigner”, one entrusted with the responsibility to adjust the scales of justice, grudgingly does so only to ensure that hell is constrained rather than justice secured? We are all perhaps acting in small ways to ensure that we do not fall over ourselves with power, or disrupt the milk and honey flowing on account of a little understood tourism product.
Historians will see a link with the ravages of slavery, when sugar was king, and will disconnect findings of fact in the case when it is considered, if indeed it is ever considered. But few will invest the effort needed to advance the case, to steady the justice of conflicting realities, to give value to a life sacrificed to tourism.
As you may recall, I chose to focus on the role of our Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism (one and the same person) in the fast moving saga. I projected the qualities our leaders needed to mitigate a major fallout. These are the same qualities that were glaringly absent when our Chief Minister stepped onto the platform last week to share his thoughts. When our Minister of Tourism finally made his entrance on the stage, some of us were relieved; better late than never surely. But what did he say or do to bring solace to hurting hearts? To bring calmness to angry minds? To assuage the pain of poverty and feelings of unworthiness in those hurt and affected by the alleged murder? Sweet nothing. And what were we expecting? Only what any community expects – and is entitled to expect – from their representatives: kindness, compassion, generosity, fairness, truth, representation even.
The death of a brother at Malliouhana was certainly the “critical incident” any leader worth his salt would have responded to without being called out, as I had to call him out. Leadership experts look for “critical and exceptional” incidents like these to identify key competences and to evaluate the leadership quotient of elected representatives.
Starting with our Chief Minister, responsible for our tourism product, what did he decide –other than to stay silent and to let others deal with the fallout? What actions did he take to stem the disruptive and destructive interventions that led to the accused person being let go – perhaps being set free? What did he neglect to do that perhaps led to the injustices we have witnessed? How did his actions in the immediate aftermath of the critical incident demonstrate that he was compassionate and desired to help manage constituents’ emotions and fears? Was he even present when we were grappling under pressure with these feelings and our mounting fears for our lives, our children’s futures, our jobs, our lack of sustainable options? Did he demonstrate that he was actively managing the cross-functional dynamics to make sure that our tourism product was secure; that our jobs and future prospects were not being placed on the line? In short, do we have any evidence of the leadership we needed and expected at this juncture?
History will also show that leadership was glaringly absent. It will show that a myriad of factors would have led to our decline as a preferred tourism destination. It would have started with the critical incident, followed by a predictable course of events that effective leadership might have stemmed and negated.
During the Budget debate just over a month ago I challenged the de facto Minister of Tourism to measure what he claimed was effective leadership and success against recognised metrics. I also cautioned him that the laws prescribed that the Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism was accountable for that portfolio, albeit he was acting in the capacity of Minister.
I focused my debate then on the need for accountability and leaders. Then as now the question remains. Where have all the leaders gone? It is time for Anguillians to wake up and to realise our great potential. That time is now.
