FUNDAMENTALS!!!

Elliot Harrigan is an Anguillian Free-Lance Writer / Political 

Observer & Analyses and an Entrepreneur 

No questions should be asked, no ifs no buts, it is fundamental; Government must respect its people! Even in worst cases of disdain or malice, Government must be the very last to show intolerance. Government is not an invisible structure, but actual people, and is able to carefully analyze and interpret the language of the citizenry, but must show unlimited respect for all. In actual governance, opposing tendencies are played out at the expense of average people, as such a way is always found to diminish the foot print of excellence to validate the extremity of power in the name of government. Society is the bedrock of civilization and not to be governed! Government manages the business of the people, to ensure order and sustainability, which is to guarantee continuity of the structure and to maintain an orderly system through which people can function and co exist by peaceful and just means. With very good intentions bad practices are perpetuated and utilized to divide and conquer because our political system provides for clear disagreement in any course of action in the name of the people.

Events of the past week gave us all clear insight into the misappropriation of intent, the attempt to dishonor and disgrace the teaching profession from the annals of power displayed from the very “House” of the people was dishonorable and showed great disrespect for basic society, even though clearly aimed at the teaching profession. Teaching and learning are fundamental; it carves a pathway into the future, and is deep-seated. The fundamentals of every society are those rights and privileges that are applied to our well-being base on the inherent values of its people and no government should stand in the way of this. Everything beneath "Country" becomes systematic and is subject to modification. The actions of the teachers were symptomatic, but this condition was caused; any government seeking to fundamentally depreciate the values system of its people must be looked at keenly as autocratic and threatening, threatening the social-well-being of the masses, their rights and privileges. “Fundamentally” the rights of the people are preserved and must be guaranteed, by no means is government allowed to change or transform society to any concept they might imagine, and if so should be held in contempt of the people.

The tax structure recently introduced and implemented on our grass root, simple society is an infringement and does tamper with those basic fundamentals. This is the cause of current action and may eventually escalate into other areas. Change to such dimension goes beyond the scope of our intent and it is appropriate for the governed to react. Such change is not far-fetched but deserves, and requires the undisputed approval of the majority of the people, otherwise does not have to be tolerated. Such action by government can trigger eruption in society and cause all kinds of disorder and civil disobedience. We have always known an indirect approach to taxation on the island, we are now asked to concede to both a direct and indirect tax burden, this is beyond the imaginary scope. Thanks to government (the system) for containing disorder, thanks to the teachers for their tolerance and good will, not allowing intolerance to reign down on the movement, instead exhibiting that same character they teach, whereby disorder was averted. It must be noted that Anguilla, being a state in submission, the British are well within their rights to suggest or proposed any changes they wish to see, it is our Government’s responsibility to follow process and chose the appropriate means of applying this change without fundamentally changing society. If this can’t be done without infringement on the norms we know, then it is appropriate for a government to forgo this demand and resign in protest. But if you take the responsibility to ascend to this order you must be held fully responsible.

There is much talk of how we got here, who is responsible and which government should take blame. No government of the past can be judged by its intent. It might have been the intent of an AUF administration to implement measures, or perhaps these measures; there is no AUF administration now, and as such cannot be held responsibility for actions not taken. In fact, the AUF government of the past should come in for high praise, not taking a decision in the absence of a well designed and thought-out process, refraining from imposing heavy taxation on the people of Anguilla. What AUF did in their good judgment was to apply a change of policy to counter the required change in the financial structure of government and its intake capacity. The difference between AUF and AUM in the matter is that “action was taken.” And that action interfered with those fundamentals we know as a small society.

There are many opinions as to what is the real objective of the British in its oversight of Anguilla, there are silly ideas like Anguilla has oil and the British are jealous and want to own us. It appears that the British feels that Anguillians are a privileged people. WE own our own land, live in our own homes, not taxed burdened, live very comfortably; and the rich and famous loves the island. Here are significant reasons why our risks should not rest with them. Anguilla was always a privileged society, because we were never dependent on extremities such as commercial excesses or a massive taxation structure, we always lived in modesty. In recent times we have evolved to more economic demands but, still far from countries that thrive only on these excesses. The fundamentals of our well being were always mostly self sufficiency. As a society of little means, by little means we survived!

By: Eliott J. Harrigan