Is The Community Asleep?

The above question is not to be taken lightly. The fact is that our community appears to be changing rapidly and the spirit of self-help and civic responsibility may be disappearing. There is a need for the jollification days of old to return when everyone helped each other and worked together for the common good of the island. One only has to take a look at the overgrowth which is closing in on some of our village roads following the recent rains to see how absent is the community spirit. Nobody in the neighbourhoods seems willing either individually or collectively to trim the trees or remove litter rather than waiting on the public services to do everything.

Where are some of the community and service clubs which in the past have taken pride and care in tidying up the environment? There are too many tell-tale signs that there is gross inactivity in this aspect of work and one wonders whether the community has fallen asleep. How many times in the past have groups volunteered to clean the beaches of which we boast so much but today where are they? We stand corrected if in recent times this type of voluntary work has missed our attention.

Anguilla is a small community and it does not take very much time and effort to help keep the island clean and beautiful. We are aware that people are giving some voluntary assistance in other areas of need, but not enough effort seems to be concentrated on the environment. This is an important area of work as it has to do to a great extent with Anguilla as an up-market destination, where cleanliness and beauty cannot be compromised. There are a number of beautiful spots on the island particularly around the hotels. When our visitors travel however beyond these places to the outskirts of the island, in the vicinity of our homes, gardens and other residential areas of Anguilla, that beauty must follow them around.

To be deliberately repetitive, we have laboured the point about cleanliness and protection of the environment because of the impact on the tourism industry. There are various fund-raising efforts towards other causes on the island. Let us hope that the next set of activities to raise money for the good of the community will be aimed at improving and preserving the environmental attractiveness of Anguilla both for ourselves and our visitors. If we are a paradise island as portrayed around the world, let us as its inhabitants and stewards take good care of it.