Several years ago, a decision was made to rename “Separation Day” as “National Heroes and Heroines Day”. The day marked the formal separation of Anguilla from the State of St Kitts, Nevis and Anguilla on 19th December 1980. The decision to rename it “National Heroes and Heroines Day” was indeed a fitting honour for those persons who sacrificed much to ensure that the separation came to fruition, first by force and eventually by law. It is also heartening to see tribute being paid to heroes and heroines of the Anguilla Revolution when they are presented with badges of honour (some posthumously) on Anguilla Day. From time to time, we also note that on their death some heroes and heroines of the Revolution have received “state funerals”. However, for some reason, this has not been consistent and I am unsure of the criteria used to determine who should or should not receive such an official send off and how such decisions are made. That may be the subject of another editorial.
My concern at this time is not how our heroes and heroines are treated after they have died, but rather how are they treated while they are alive. In Anguilla, we tend to pay a lot of attention to ceremonial things. We believe in showing appreciation with medals, trophies, plaques and the like. These things are good in and of themselves, but I believe some thought needs to be given to how we can demonstrate our appreciation for heroes and heroines in more tangible and meaningful ways.
Some ground work may have to be done with regard to establishing a mechanism for determining who would be considered a national hero or heroine pre and post revolution. Once that is determined, consideration would need to be given to what benefits such persons are entitled to. Firstly, for example, some thought can be given to providing health care for these persons. They should be able to access primary health care free of charge and secondary and tertiary care at greatly reduced costs. Secondly, on a related issue, maybe provision can be made for heroes and heroines to access home-based or institution-based care, at no or minimal cost, when they are no longer able to care for themselves. Thirdly, for those heroes and heroines whose personal circumstances may warrant it, there may be need for the provision of proper housing with basic amenities and good sanitation. Additionally, where necessary, such persons should be given priority when making determinations regarding public assistance. Fourthly, it may be worth considering setting up a heroes and heroines loans assistance programme through which such persons can access the necessary funds to help defray the costs of purchasing land, building a home or sending their children to college. Lastly, the provision of subsistence for heroes and heroines who have reached a certain age, would go a long way in ensuring that they are able to take care of their basic needs.
The examples I have outlined are some of the ways in which, as a nation, we can honour our heroes and heroines. I believe such benefits would be more appreciated and meaningful than ceremonial tokens which cannot assist them with the challenges they may face as they go through life. I appeal to our Government to give serious consideration to this issue and give priority to allocating some of our resources to caring for our heroes and heroines. When persons contribute so significantly to national development, our demonstration of appreciation should not be superficial. Much should be given to those who have sacrificed much. We may not yet be in a position to immediately provide them with everything they deserve, but we can make a start.
