Editorial: New Year’s resolution

At the beginning of every school year, back in the day, teachers would start the first day of classes with words of advice to the students – “start with a clean slate,” “hit the ground running,” “turn a new leaf.” We believe that those words of advice for the students could be applied to us as a nation – “New year, new rules, new attitude!” The past year was one filled with much rancor and divisiveness, and we suspect that those huge chasms (among other factors) resulted in not much forward movement in our fair state. We here are NEWSCO are suggesting that in this New Year, we resolve to work together in a spirit of bi-partisanship for forward and upward movement. It is our national desiderata.
Of course, to achieve any modicum of success, it is imperative that our politicians leave their egomania and megalomania, and their ingrained penchant for bickering and squabbling at the door to 2019. No more of that foolishness! No more vain promises and bovine scatology (bs). No more half truths and self-serving deals. We are beseeching our politicos to discard that crap in the dustbin of history, never to be retrieved. We, the people, have had enough, and we are not going to take it anymore! As Tim Hector was fond of saying, “Enough has become too much; we are fed up, and up with it we will not put!”
Part of the political construct of course in 2019 must be that we hold our politicians to account; we need to put aside the malaise and the apathy. Arise from our zones of comfort and flowery beds of ease. So too, we need to reject those who thrive on sowing division and vain strivings among us. Let us cast aside narrow and transient self-gain for the greater good. Let us eschew me-ism. God has blessed us with a most beautiful twin-island state, with some of the finest people to be found anywhere, and we here at NEWSCO remain persuaded that much can be wrought when we work together.
In that spirit, we are proffering the following New Year’s resolution: “Whereas the Almighty, in His infinite wisdom has blessed us with two idyllic islands; and whereas we the denizens of these islands have long dreamed and strived to make our twin-island state a nation in which all can thrive; and whereas there are many among us who seek to sow discord and keep the masses in a beggarly state of perpetual dependency; and whereas the behaviour and stewardship of some leaves much to be desired; and whereas we the people have acquiesced, in astonishing fashion, to the betrayal of our hopes and dreams for our fair state, indeed, we are complicit, be it resolved that in the year 2019 we will put our feet down and stand up for that which is right.
Be it further resolved that we will work hand in hand with each other, never mind our political stripes, to move Antigua and Barbuda forward!” Of course, there are the cynics and those of little faith, who doubt that our noble desiderata can be achieved, especially with this current cast of political actors (emphasis on “actors”), and in this highly charged and toxic political mileau. Sigh! But we are believers.
We remain hopeful. After all, we can only go up from here. And we ought to be the agents of that upward movement. Here at NEWSCO, we will continue to do our bit in 2019 to be the tribune and hold the torch – lighting the path for upward mobility. You have assisted us this past year, and in the years preceding, with your most gracious outpouring of love and support, and we are indeed grateful. We will endeavour to not only meet, but exceed your expectations in the months and years ahead. May God bless you individually and collectively in your basket and store. Indeed, may “God bless Antigua and Barbuda, land so dear to us!” Have an extraordinary 2019, brothers and sisters, with your new attitude.