Columns

We were all saddened last weekend when we put to rest two young people who passed from this life amidst circumstances which must concern us all. I was moved by the comments made by Bishop Errol Brooks as he delivered the sermon at one of the funerals. Admonishing us not to stand in judgment, he said:

Have you ever stopped and asked yourself – “What is your purpose in life?” Well if you have not, it is important to do so, because it is said that we were born for a purpose. That is, each one of us was born for a reason, to fulfill a particular goal in life. Do you know what your purpose is? Have you discovered it as yet? If yes, are you fulfilling it? If not, are you still wondering?

An air of sadness consumed the Captain Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport on Monday April 4, 2011, as we witnessed the last flight of the American Eagle Super ATR out of Anguilla. The American Eagle Airline had provided for our travel and tourism needs for more than twenty-three years, beginning in November 1987. The service was a major achievement for international air access into Anguilla under the Sir Emile R. Gumbs’ Administration, and at its peak the “American Eagle” was the main carrier for tourism arrivals from our important North American market.

I had the rare opportunity to visit the Magistrate Court yesterday, March 28, 2011, to listen to a sitting on the longstanding matter with Mr. Kenswick Richardson, the Anguilla United Front (AUF) candidate in the last election for the seat in West End. Mr. Richardson had been charged with a total of thirteen offences related to the voter registration process and contrary to section 258 of the Criminal Code. This matter began with Mr. Richardson’s arrest without warrant on Wednesday, June 30th 2010.

Are you a resilient person? Do you bounce back easily after a moment or period of crisis? Well, with the many things that are happening in our world such as financial struggles, political upheavals, crimes and violence, and natural disasters, it behooves us to become a resilient people.

I was inundated by telephone calls and live comments from many persons over the weekend regarding the “mysterious blackout” of the broadcast of the Anguilla United Front public meeting last Thursday in South Hill opposite the residence of the Hon. Chief Minister. Such a “black out” also occurred (granted to a much lesser extent) at our first public meeting at the Landsome Bowl Cultural Center as well.

Betrayal! An awful, painful experience! Have you ever experienced it? Or are you still suffering from its sting, its pain? No doubt some of us have experienced it either in our personal relationships or in our professional ones or both. Some of us know all too well the feeling it leaves in our lives and on our souls. It's a bitter feeling full of resentment and hurt, but the good news is, it is possible to overcome its devastating effects and experience phenomenal outcomes. You can turn your pain and devastation into a new course with a new distinct path of hope instead of despair.

The Anguilla United Front public meeting in South Hill last Thursday was “cut short” in the wake of news from the Island Harbour community that two of their fishermen had not returned from one of their usual fishing trips within the usual time frame. In an act of solidarity and genuine concern, all the speakers and most of the attendees journeyed to Island Harbour to support the impromptu vigil of family, friends and well-wishers who had assembled in prayerful hope for their return.

The last two weeks have been fraught with examples of the incompetence of this Government and its supporters in dealing with the normal issues in the management of its affairs. One gets the distinct impression that, to put it colloquially, “dey don’t know wah dey doin.” For example, in my last column I spoke at length about the Parliamentary Secretary’s “boo-boo” in trying to make politics out of an issue that required non-partisan support as well as an understanding of proper protocol.

In recent times the issue of independence for Anguilla has generated much heated debate and high emotions. There are those who speak as though political independence can and will be an immediate goal, and there are others who see it as a very, very remote possibility, if a possibility at all. In between there are some who think that independence must always be an objective, inspiring us to become more creative and purposeful about the future as we intentionally embrace self-determination as a God-given right and task.

Do you know that forgiveness is powerful? That its benefits are overwhelming and that it benefits the forgiver more than the one who is forgiven? Well, it is true! No wonder the Bible speaks so forcefully about it.

Let me take this opportunity to congratulate the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School Debating Team for their splendid performance in the British Virgin Islands where they represented Anguilla proudly in this year’s Annual Leeward Islands Debating Competition, over the weekend. While they did not bring back the gold --- they were strong finalists and fierce competitors to the very end.

Loosing the election was the best thing to happen to Victor Banks. In the end the whole country, friends and foe alike will come to recognize his qualities, capabilities, differences, and his more egalitarian, less parochial style of politics. This is good for the country. And is at the opportune time because now Banks does not operate under anyone’s shadow --- neither does he have to suppress his own thoughts. He is a leader and comes at a time when we can raise the political bar and stop doing politics “limbo style”.

It is obvious that there is much contention, bitterness and rancor among us, so it is now time for us as a people to stop, think, reflect and take stock as to how our words and actions are affecting each other, our youth, our community, our country in particular and the world at large.

In an address Broadcasted by Radio Anguilla on Monday, February 14th, 2011, at approximately 7:50pm, the Elected Representative of the Sandy Hill Constituency, Jerome Roberts, stated in part:

In my July 16th, Article, “A picture paints a thousand words,” I first used the label “three ring circus” to describe the behaviour and style of the AUM Government as they continued on their charade of manipulating the truth hoping, thereby, “to paint a glorious picture of an open and transparent Government that is for all the people”.

While I would like to apologize for the absence of this column over the past two weeks’ publication of The Anguillian, I must remark that much has been transpiring on the international scene, as well as on the home-front, causing us to realize that the noteworthy day of God’s judgment is advancing quickly.

Have you ever stopped and realized that there is a vast array of information about leadership that can be derived just from reading the Bible? Yes, the Bible is a great source of wisdom and inspiration. It can teach us how to be successful as well as how to guard against failure.

I was unable to listen to or attend the opening of the Chamber of Commerce Fair on Saturday, February 5, 2011 because of other events, not the least among which was the celebration of the lives of some cherished Anguillian women. We are blessed as a people to have such a heritage of strong women who have maintained our communities over the years in countless and differing ways.

A competent government develops policies appropriate for the situation and carries out these policies effectively and efficiently with minimum social cost as well as economic costs. The application of these criteria leaves the government of Anguilla open to tremendous criticism. What exactly are the present government policies or the vision and plan for the island other than silly talk about independence? The problem is money, and independent or not, will into the future remain the problem unless government focus on the economic situation and cool it on the politics.