“THE GAME OF POLITICS” Anguilla needs leadership!!

The honorable Chief Minister said recently; “I’m not happy! In all my years of politics, I was only happy working for Ronald Webster.” This is quite a confession, and signifies clearly that the mind set of our Chief Minister is still part of the “old guard.”

Not exactly the change we were looking for.

Since the time of Ronald Webster, we’ve entered a new century and a brand new era, one would think that our political class had prepared themselves to lead the country into a brighter future. Ronald Webster is the only real leader the island has known, tasked with the mammoth responsibility of leading Anguilla out of the wilderness. History would reveal that his tasked was accomplished most effectively, which lead the people of Anguilla to believe that he was appointed by God to carry out the mission and accomplished it with grace and honor. Since then, the island has not been blessed with a leader of such characteristics.

To fulfill the task of leading the country into prosperity there must be a clear mission, and the people must know about it. The political class of today is plagued with a lack of definition, a lack of distinction and clarity. No one seems to have a clear mission for the country or where the future would take us! The people of Anguilla have recognized this, and have refused to endorse any particular group with full confidence as Mr. Webster enjoyed during his term as political leader, and more specifically as the revolutionary leader of our time. No one since Ronald Webster passionately embraces the responsibility of leadership of the country with that unbiased attitude, “sincerely on a mission.” Anguilla needs a leader, a political leader with poise, a good sense of economics, conscious of the moral high ground and a good social academic. The Game of Politics has diminished, and poisoned the characteristics of good men we know but certainly, the country would produce the next genuine leader in real time. The honorable Chief Minister, longing for the return of those likable days is probably vague rhetoric. The People of Anguilla are much smarter today, and much wiser and have no interest in choosing between a worrier and a politician, “not today,” we have our worrier, there will not be a second revolution in our time, and while we are still blessed with the likes of the great “Ronald Webster” we remain a grateful people for the mission he accomplished. We’ve been brought out of the wilderness and into the land of plenty, but we simply can’t find our way.

Anguilla needs a leader on a mission to succeed in leading the country into prosperity; this is the mission at hand, this is the task before us as a country. It must be said right here, that one must step up, and know their calling; while history will record Mr. Ronald Webster as the greatest leader of our time, a worrier, a man who remained focused on the mission until accomplished, it will also show that he was not a good politician, the very people he lead from a life of misery, are a people slow to anger, but unforgiving. No one learned this lesson like Mr. Webster himself. Being greatly honored for his task by a grateful people, who gave him the honor to lead them into prosperity; he failed. Was it that he too was caught up in “the game of politics?” and became a victim of its divisive and treacherous characteristics which divided the people? We must remember this, said people, never again elected Mr. Webster to office, in his several attempts thereafter, a real life story of our time.

"... your play or my play next?!"

Keen observers of Anguilla politics must conclude that there is a very serious vacuum in the reality of the job; people actually see politics as a “game” a game that consequently is played against the people. Our present situation is a very clear example, until we have another framework, our leaders must be willing to maneuver, take some, (political punches) give some and win for the good of the country, there must be no sobbing. Obviously the players on stage today are an informed group, and know our system of governance very well, if not, this was a grave over sight of anyone seeking the office of governance. It must be assumed that certainly, they understand process, process that quantifies success for the people of Anguilla; the people must be the beneficiary of good political leadership within our system of governance. The economic situation of the country must take precedent over any continuing squabble between the Governor and the Chief Minister, we cannot have a government so pre-occupied with internal chaos that the people continue to suffer. When all is said and done, the Governor answers to no one on Anguilla, and what might seem ironic, is that his work appears very well acceptable to his superiors. We want to see a focused government and leadership in the total interest of the country, irrespective to conditions, and we look to our elected government to provide this. Is our government leading the country into prosperity or simply caught up in “the game of politics?” are we winning? (Refer to introductory remarks) Or are we seeing a warrior go down in defeat?

By: ElliotJ.Harrigan