Mr. Davon Carty
On Tuesday, February 13th, 2024, the Anguilla United Front (AUF) held a Press Conference to officially introduce its three new candidates who will be running on its slate to contest the 2025 General Elections.
To get the proceedings underway, the party’s leader, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge, summoned ardent supporter Mr. Eugene Seabrookes to invoke God’s presence. She then invited all present to stand and observe a moment of silence in respect of the passing of the Former AUF Leader Victor Banks’ wife, Cerise Banks.
Mrs. Richardson-Hodge then expressed her delight in welcoming the trio – Mr. Davon Carty, Mr. Miguel Leveret and Mr. Patrick Mardenborough to the AUF ranks. They each presented themselves as accepting their responsibilities in the hope of charting the way forward for Anguilla.
Mr. Davon Carty – Davon Carty, the District 5 Representative, introduced himself as one who is simply down to earth, as far as his disposition is concerned, one whose mind is not on himself, but on the people he is called to serve.
“This coat I am wearing was borrowed,” he began, “and when I am finished here, I shall return it to its owner. I am a person who works at not having an ego. For all that I have done, very few people know what it is I do. There are always questions as to who have done what I do. It is only those who are close to me who will have an idea of what I do, of who I am, and what I am capable of.”
“So, you will see the pictures,” he said. “I took them, but I am not the subject. You will hear the songs being sung. I wrote them, but I am not the singer.”
“Many of my ideas are implemented by others, but I do not have to be the star that claims the glory. Many of my causes are charitable,” he said. “But I don’t boast about them.
“My name is Davon Carty, and I present myself to you as the candidate representing District 5. Here we have a party for the people and of the people. It is a party that is representative of every single political persuasion in modern Anguillian history. We have origins of ANA, AUM, ADP, and yes, even the APM is a part of this grouping.”
He remarked that, in fact, he is delighted to serve under the Beacon, which is a beacon of hope and transformation, providing the guiding light for a party of individuals who have a history of putting people first. “I am extremely proud to stand with this generation,” he said.
“I am a philanthropist, a social worker, a music industry coach, an executive, a businessman, and an entrepreneur,” he emphasized. “Above all these, I am a man dedicated to finding the way forward for my island and its people.”
Mr. Carty emphasized that he is dedicated to ensuring that his people can remain proud and free, and that they can remain unequivocally Anguillian. In addition, he said that he is dedicated to ensuring that Anguillians can be comfortable in Anguilla now, as well as in the future.
Mr. Patrick Mardenborough – Patrick Mardenborough, the candidate for District 6, introduced himself as a very vocal person who is passionate about the issues. He claimed that there are areas of representation that he is quite strong in, while admitting that there are certain areas which he would have to learn to master.
“I took this step to enter the political arena because District 6 has been lacking people-loving politicians,” he said. “The politicians who have represented the district of late have no love and respect for those whom they represent.”
Mr. Mardenborough reminisced that he had been raised at the hand of his grandmother who taught him to love and respect all human kind, regardless of their station in life. He gave the credit to his grandmother who advised him to stay in school to attain a sound education when he had desired to quit school to make ends meet for his upbringing.
“I am not easily influenced by outside forces,” he said. “I always remain focused, so I stayed in school and became the product of my grandmother who encouraged me to stay on the right path in school.”
He related that his first source of a livelihood was that of a painter, painting houses. He later got an opportunity to work with the Government of Anguilla in the Customs Department. He testified that one of his most prominent characteristics at Customs was that he took care of people’s needs. He claimed that he always had a heart of care for his customers.
After a seven-year tenure in the Customs Department, Mr. Mardenborough took on the challenge of going on his own as a customs broker and shipping agent in 2001. He has flourished in this thriving business over the years.
“In the course of time,” he recounted, “I was selected to be on the AASPA Board. It was a new experience for me, and I was exciting about launching into something new. I always said to my Chairman that I will not be inactive on the Board, for I am a person of action – not just talk.”
He further explained that in 2021 he was appointed by the APM administration to be Chairman of the ANGLEC Board. “Mr. Hughes asked me to sit on that Board,” he said, “and I consented. But the reason why I am here today is because ‘what you see is not what you get’. I was not willing to tow the line for Mr. Hughes and be a puppet on the ANGLEC Board. Although I wanted to comply with the instructions from the authorities, yet I am a person who has a mind of my own and I know right from wrong.”
Mr. Mardenborough admitted that he had made some strong moves against the Government. “As a result, they did everything to destroy my character just because I did not tow the lines,” he said.
He further noted that it was not easy to oppose the Government who exerted some “pushback” on his views, but in his position as Chairman of ANGLEC he couldn’t give up. He said he stayed with it and, along with the Board members, felt he was committed to channeling the company to a position where today ANGLEC can sustain itself.
Mr. Miguel Leveret – Miguel Leveret has been designated as a Single Island-wide candidate on the AUF slate. As the General Manager of Blanchards, one of Anguilla’s finest restaurants, Miguel is popularly known in the tourism sector.
“It is an honour to be addressing you today,” he said. “My name is Miguel Leveret, and I was born and raised here in Anguilla, as a proud son of the soil. I am a dedicated father, husband, hospitality professional and entrepreneur. I also served as the President of the Anguilla Cycling Association, and Vice President of the Blowing Point Community Foundation.”
As Blanchards’ manager, Mr. Leveret spoke of the assistance that he administered to the public during the aftermath of Hurricane Irma. He used his influence as Manager to provide food baskets for the needy, he donated generators, and supplied food vouchers through Blanchards’ Anguilla Childrens’ Fund. He was also instrumental in providing similar aid during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I decided to enter the world of politics because of the plight of the people of Anguilla,” he said. “I can no longer stand on the sidelines and watch so many people of Anguilla suffer from a lack of dependable running water, roads with potholes, looming crime rates, and the high cost of living brought on by the implementation of GST.”
He noted that, over the past few months, he had been talking with persons regarding the upcoming elections, and often he heard persons saying that they would not be going to the poles to vote because they feel betrayed by politicians. “I say to each of you that failing to vote in the upcoming elections is like giving up on hope for a better Anguilla,” he said.
“I want you to know that in me you will have someone whom you can believe in and someone that you can trust,” Mr. Leveret pointed out. “To borrow from the words of the late Honourable Eric Reid, ‘my nay will be nay, and my yay will be yay’. I will put the people of Anguilla first and I will fight with you, for you, and for the country, Anguilla.”
After the new candidates had completed their acceptance speeches, the other members of the AUF each took turns in welcoming them into the party which they claim is destined to deliver.
