On Monday, November 29th, 2021, the Department of Education, in collaboration with the family of the late, Honourable, Mr. James Ronald Webster, launched an essay writing competition commemorating his life and legacy. A poster capturing the essence of the competition was unveiled by his wife, Mrs. Cleopatra Webster. She was assisted by the Honourable Minister of Education, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers.
The competition was officially opened to students in Grades 5 and 6 who attend a private or public school on Anguilla. The 250 to 300 word essay on the topic, James Ronald Webster: The epitome of a leader, will be judged on content, organisation, use of language, and mechanics.
The late, Honourable Mr. James Ronald Webster, was the revolutionary leader of Anguilla during its struggle to separate from the tristate union of St. Kitts, Nevis, Anguilla. He later served as the first Chief Minister of Anguilla, and has been lovingly named, Father of the Nation. “This essay competition is a fitting way to keep Mr. Webster’s legacy alive,” said Education Officer and Chairperson of the ceremony, Mrs. Susan Smith.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers expressed gratitude to the family of Mr. Webster and acknowledged that the essay competition will “give us the opportunity to equip our young people with the information and the knowledge to know about our revolutionary hero, and the impact that he would have had on our lives and the lives that we live today.”
Also speaking at the competition’s launch was the Honourable Premier, Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster. He spoke of Mr. Ronald Webster’s love for writing, his passion for what he liked, and his inspiration in doing it. Premier Webster expressed personal pleasure and excitement about the essay writing competition because “it gives us a place and a way that we can remember Mr. Webster, but we [will] also see [him] through the eyes of those who are now up and coming.”
Continuing, the Premier said: “If we forget our history, we are apt to repeat it. The story of Mr. Webster is one that, if we were to study it, to analyse what he did and what he wanted to do, we would be better off for it…Anguilla deserves it. I hope that the essays will capture a small part of Mr. Webster, as he was a man among men, a giant on whose shoulders a lot of us are standing and progressing.”
Also included in the launch ceremony were: remarks by Mr. Bren Romney, Chief Education Officer; prayer by Mrs. Olive Hodge; a poem read by Mrs. Yvonne Pryce; a song by Miss Erin Connor, Primary Schools’ Calypso Monarch and her brother Mr. Ethan Connor; a musical selection by Mr. Michael ‘Dumpa’ Martin and Mr. Perry Hughes; and The History of Mr. James Ronald Webster by Mr. Armani Webster.
Dr. Timothy Hodge spoke on behalf of the family of the late, Honourable, Mr. Webster. He thanked the Education Department for taking up the idea [of the essay writing competition] and looks forward to the children of Anguilla being encouraged and, if necessary, made to do the research on the history of the heroes and heroines of Anguilla – foremost among them being the Honourable Mr. James Ronald Webster.
Mr. Webster’s family is committed to sponsoring the essay writing competition as an annual event. The Mr. James Ronald Webster Essay Writing Competition will form part of the calendar of events at the Department of Education.
