Editorial

The events surrounding last week’s demonstration by Indian workers and their Anguillian sympathisers obscured the resignation of the remaining Chairperson, the Deputy and the Directors of the Health Authority Board of Anguilla. These four persons were actively serving while the other three Directors were still off the job, their term of office having not yet been renewed.

The power of the people rallying around their leaders was a significant contribution to the success of the 1967 Anguilla Revolution. As events continue to show, it will be the same power of the people that will help to guide and shape the future of our island and ensure their own rights and those of others among them.

In a few years Blowing Point should become a much-developed area of Anguillla. And, instead of being a moment too soon, it may well be regarded as one almost too late.

This week a delegation from the Caribbean Tourism Organisation and the Caribbean Hotel Association left the region for Washington DC to meet with US State Department officials to discuss what they perceive to be a new threat to visitor arrivals (and foreign exchange) in the regional islands from the United States. That threat is the requirement for some American citizens to have passports when returning from visits to the Caribbean – not to mention Canada and Mexico – and the damage it will cause to Caribbean economies.

Anguilla Day 2007 was the first time that so many persons were honoured either for their contribution to the success of the Revolution or to the social and economic development of the island that came a a result of that revolution. The awardees included a few persons who are nationals of St. Maarten and St. Thomas but who, in the course of their work, have done much for Anguilla and its people.

The observance of the 40th Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution has had the effect of giving our Government and people an opportunity to look backward and forward: to see where we have come over that long period and where we are heading. In essence what we find is that there is a need for a new beginning. Some people, looking at the problems we still have, declare that the revolution has failed in many respects. Others considering the great strides we have made in economic development think the revolution has been of much success. Perhaps it is fair to say there is a mixture of both failure and success. It is to be determined at what angle the scale is more tilted.

This may be the third time that The Anguillian’s editorial has focused on the above topic. This is because of its overwhelming importance to a harmonious relationship between those in positions of authority and leadership and those members of the citizenry whose interest must be served and protected to their satisfaction.

This week the Anguilla Government, much to its credit, has had the opportunity to host the Caribbean Telecommunications Union’s Internet Governance Ministerial Briefing Seminar at Paradise Cove Resort. It has attracted some 40 delegates from 18 territories.

The Anguillian has lost count of two matters. One relates to the many acts of crime that have been committed in recent times in Anguilla, particularly violent robberies by masked and armed intruders. The second involves the many complaints the paper has received from concerned residents and visitors including the hapless victims.

The Easter Story is perhaps the most solemn one in the Christian calendar. It tells of the bitter suffering of Jesus Christ who declared He was the Saviour and Light of the world, the Messiah and Son of God and that His mission was to die for the sins and redemption of mankind.

Every now and then there are voices of complaint and even outrage when young men are arrested and charged by the Police for drug abuse or for intent to supply the dope to other youth.

Readers and the people of Anguilla in general are expressing dismay at the back and forth war of words and other arguments over the future of Cap Juluca and are anxious to see a resolution of the matter.

Many persons in Anguilla cried shame at the armed prowlers who entered the homes of several residents on the island recently and committed acts of theft and indecency. In this issue of The Anguillian is a Letter to the Editor from Althea Turner, a very graceful, admirable and ardent community worker who was one of the hapless and defenceless victims. There are reports of two other persons – a couple - who have also had a bad experience.

There was much delight at the Operational Review meeting of the Health Authority of Anguilla at Paradise Cove on Wednesday when Chief Executive Officer, Dexter James, announced that the island’s health services were accredited by the Canadian Council for the Accreditation of Health Services.

Anguilla has always had a unique position among its Caribbean neighbours from the early days to the present time. Geographically, it is the most northerly of the Leeward Islands chain and between it and its former sister islands of St. Kitts-Nevis is a cluster of French and Dutch territories.

Just when there were reports that the British Police officers were leaving Anguilla at the end of their contracts, there was the brandishing, bang of the gun and shooting death of an innocent woman by would-be robbers. Not only Elaine Phillips, but prominent citizen and businessman, Abraham Harrigan, could have been a dead man also. What an awful tragedy and experience it was for him to see his girlfriend cut down at the cruel and merciless hands of bandits whom he described as young men! For God sake and for the sake of Anguilla this “Wild West” madness must stop.

The Anguillian walked in on a Government’s retreat this week and even before ascending the steps of the venue, the rowdy voices of some persons could be heard in the yard as would be solutions to a number of the problems facing the island and its people were being hammered out. There seemed to have been some earnest contending for what is fair, right, noble and forward-looking for Anguilla at a location far removed from the offices of ministries and departments.

Last week was not a good public relations time for the Government. It was occasioned by its failure to inform the people about what the leaders thought were “consequential”, “innocuous” and “urgent” amendments which they requested the Secretary of State to make to the Anguilla Constitution.

The Government made a serious blunder when it failed to tell the people of the island that some amendments were being made to the Constitution to facilitate the changing of the name “Police Force” to “Police Service” and to insert the name of a new body the “Police Service Commission”. While the amendments appear to be simple or, as the Government’s press release, printed elsewhere in this paper stated, “consequential”, the concept of making what may be believed to be even the most insignificant change to the Constitution without informing the people before hand, is wrong.

The old patriotic song, There’s No Place Like Home, should have special significance for Anguillians and their off-springs residing in every corner of the world today. The rapid development and economic boom now being experienced, should serve as a magic wand to bring about the sudden mass appearance of many of our nationals from abroad.