I do not think that many of my fellow Anguillians knew Britain’s first and only woman Prime Minister; but her life as a leader is one that I would urge any female who is ambitious to be political leaders in Anguilla to study and strive to emulate.
For me the news that Mrs Margaret Thatcher has now died is a time for genuine reflection of the character and qualities of a woman in Anguilla I would promote for political office in Anguilla. As I followed British politics over the years, there were many women elected to the British Parliament from both the Labour and Conservative parties and who stood out not only as female politicians but as outstanding political personalities and women who possessed all the qualities not only of being great leaders, but were woman of distinct moral conviction.
Although political leader of the Conservative Party, Mrs Thatcher had a very humble and down to earth upbringing. And although she studiedChemical Science, she displayed the greatest understanding in the field of Economics to the extent that she did more than many British leaders to transform and to restructure the British economy in the 20th century.
I personally have learnt much from her determination to privatize large sectors of the British economy. This was not half way measures but realistic sale of many state-run entities raising over 300 billion pounds to the British Treasury from those sales. I therefore could not support what our leaders have done in a par-boiled or give-away approach to Government income bearing utilities which the local tax payers are still required to subsidize, and which has weakened Anguilla’s economy.
Recently, I was invited to attend a CPA Conference held in the Falkland Islands and while there, I was clearly informed of the decision by Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to have ventured so far to conduct a war against the invasion by Argentina of the Falkland Islands. It took two days for me to reach the Falkland Islands and to move fighting forces that distance to challenge Argentina on its doorsteps, displayed the strength of a real leader. Mrs Thatcher’s image as the “Iron Lady” was not earned only by what she did to transform a fledging British economy, to weaken the power of the Trade Unions and to get the British people to appreciate the job in her restructuring of that economy, but she did much to put Britain back on the map in foreign affairs.
Although on the right wing of British politics she took much initiative in negotiating a settlement which resulted in black rule to Zimbabwe; and although she never supported economic sanctions against the white apartheid Government in South Africa she vigorously opposed the apartheid system.
In my view Mrs Margaret Thatcher was not only a woman Prime Minister, she was, most of all a most outstanding World Leader who made a great impact both internationally and locally.
I do not pretend to support much of her social politics, but I have learnt much from her tenacity in pursuing the ideals in which she believed.
She will be long remembered.
I pray her soul rests in eternal peace.
