“It takes a village to grow a child!” This concept or idea has been attributed to our distant cousins — the Masai people in East Africa. We accepted the underlying principle of it and further extended it to include “it takes all the people to build a nation.” It is important that the people of Anguilla understand the need for their participation in shaping this country. Citizen participation is key to change — without it there would be stagnation instead of dynamism. By observing the attitude of some people it would suggest that they have not been able to sort out this particular need for political and social advancement. Until the importance for public debate and dialogue is recognized this island will remain stuck with a very low level of political awareness. Regardless of criticism by those who do not understand the gravity of the argument, attempts must still be made to bring the citizenry into the conversation on nation-building and highlight the part they must play. It is not only election results that matter — it is what happens as a result of the election.
Empirical evidence of the development of other countries supplies guides to what happens when the population at large take part in presenting ideas on how to move their country forward. There is nothing than can be achieved by simply staying in the background and complaining. The seminal and basic ideas that created France came out of coffee houses in Paris. Australia developed out of criminal elements from Britain imprisoned in the British Botany Bay colony. The descendants of those people laid the foundation for what it is today. They grew. We must also grow. It is the people of Anguilla collectively that must right its wrongs. Today in Anguilla there are those that cannot understand why others publish their ideas or opinions. In fact they think that it is wrong and should not be done. So they try to stymie the development of this freedom by casting disparaging remarks about it. They seem ignorant of the usefulness of public participation that they indulge in silly utterances not knowing what they are doing. Until that attitude is recognized as backward there can be little progress.
They do not appreciate the fact that, whether inside or outside the House of Assembly, no one has a monopoly on speech.
Freedom of speech is guaranteed both by the “bill of rights of 1689” and the island’s existing constitution. Anyone who can organize and present his/her thoughts, in whatever form, is free to do so as long as it is not libelous. Without the constant expression of new thought or verbal intercourse a people may remain backward and near primitive. They seem unaware of the fact that when people read and write they expand their minds; increase their literacy skills; and participate effectively. In fact that is one way to “raise the bar”. Imagine if we could not talk or express ourselves. It is by the use of words that communities develop. That is how ideas are disseminated. Critics in Anguilla do not appear to be aware of this fact. Neither have they moved away from gossip as their main informative source. Gossip is the most primitive form of information.
The time for change has come. Newspaper articles are better alternatives to the status quo — gossip. It would be of greater benefit for them to join the dialogue rather than condemn it. Greater participation should be encouraged in order for the community to become dynamic, self-promoting and susceptible to newer and better ways of doing things and for spreading informed thoughts and opinions.
It is hard to believe that the important concept of participation through speech and writing, put forward in the eighteenth century by JOHN STUART MILL and others, would still raise questions for acceptance in twenty-first century ANGUILLA. Why not jump over the “limbo stick?” Dialogue is important because good discussion helps to sharpen one’s focus. There is always more than one side to a story. Besides that, one thing leads to another and may lead to something that can become a useful tool in the hands of a participant. Gossip on the other hand is putrid and unproductive. More is gained by good reading than is gained from indulgence in mere gossip. But it seems that there are AUM critics who, by their expression, give the impression that only the government can participate. Therefore there are participants only for Election Day whose attitude thereafter becomes critical of others who in their effort to “raise the bar” extend it beyond.
Citizen participation is a core need that is required for the social evolution of the people and helps in the development of new thought and political action. Honourable Member “Hughes the Younger” spoke in the House about the frequency of citizen participation. His concern creates bewilderment because the publisher of the paper reaches out to all and sees himself in the vanguard of those persons wanting to act in the best interest of this beloved country. Hughes the Younger at that meeting of the House also said that the conduct of the Anguilla House of Assembly is not as bad as other places. That is poor consolation and is certainly not the point. Recall “Mr. Hughes the Elder,” some years ago, was the recipient of a heavy punch from another member for what he said. We do not want to go back there to prove anything. What we should be doing is raising the limbo stick. His simplistic analogies are exposing his depth of political awareness. Obviously he is out of his depth. He is in the wrong end of the pool!
Fellow ANGUILLIANS, all of us must participate fully, however, and whenever we can. Elections are only once every five years. A lot of things happen in between. Remember it took a long time to build Rome — but it was burnt in a day. There is no good reason to sit idly and ‘suck up the nonsense going on around us. It must be shown for what it is!
Fellow Anguillians, let not the detractors of good Government write this country’s Epitaph. We’ve only just begun that which was promised fifty years ago when in the midst of things Hughes the Elder was a contrarian. We are out to build a new Anguilla!
