There is no doubt about it. This was the most antagonistic and brutally tarnished election campaign ever experienced in Anguilla and it has not only left the candidates battered and bruised, but a number of other persons as well. As human beings, the hurt tends to linger on for some time, but with the right kind of attitude, maturity and forbearance, it can disappear within a reasonably quick time.

Mending relationships within families, and the constituencies, may now be just as important as hurriedly getting the financial and economic situation of the island back on track. If this is not achieved quickly, it can result in a protracted polarization of divisiveness within our small society from which none of us will benefit. Most, if not all, of our communities, are considered to be closely-knit, abounding with many families who traditionally have really enjoyed undisturbed relationships. Politics is one of the most divisive influences anywhere, but there is no need for it to persist like a millstone around the neck, choking us as it were to death. There is an urgent need for residents and committees to get together to dispel the disagreements and misunderstandings of the political season and to forge ahead in a spirit of forgiveness and nationalism.

It is upon this platform of national unity and peace that we can build a resolve to move forward to face and address the issues that are really important to us in this period of difficulty, when we need to bring to bear every ounce of cooperation and understanding. It was stated in a previous editorial that whatever were the election results, they should be seen as the will of the people, voting with a free choice and privilege. If the axiom “the voice of the people is the voice of God,” can really be applied to the outcome of Monday’s election, then it is all the more important for us to settle down and move forward. One highly-respected national, reflecting on the need to move on together, made the point that “there are no permanent friends or enemies in politics, only the permanent interests of the country.”

Like everything under the sun, as stated in the Bible, there is “a time to heal”, to mend broken relationships and to get rid of the captive and demeaning fallout of the election campaign. We need to put country above self. It is all about love for country that we should shelve our differences and prejudices and work together for the common good and national wellbeing. There is no dispute that the election results were a stunning defeat for the Anguilla United Front Government. It clearly shows to all and sundry that, rather than the political directorate, the real power is vested in the hands of the people at the ballot box.

The people wanted change; they voted overwhelmingly for it and it should be respected and accepted. At the same time, it is incumbent on those who now form the new Government, to help the healing process by creating an atmosphere in which the national interest, peace, unity and progress of our small society can thrive for the betterment of all.

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