The following statement was issued by Minister Edison Baird on Wednesday June 20.
Firstly, let me join with the entire Anguilla community in expressing my condolences to the family and friends of the late Marcus Rogers and
Jordel Gumbs. We all grieve and mourn together as our community is hit by these inhumane acts that threaten our peaceful existence. However, we cannot allow those who engage in acts of violence to hold us hostage. We cannot surrender our country to them.
I therefore assure all Anguillians that the Anguilla Summer Festival 2012 under the theme: “A Cultural Explosion, Expression of Self” is neither postponed nor cancelled. It will be launched on Friday 22nd June, 2012 at5:00 p.m.
Our Summer Festival is a time of reunion for Anguillian families. It is the peak of our regional tourism season, and for many local businesses it is a time of increased profitability. But, most of all, it is a celebration of our proud cultural heritage and the freedoms we enjoy as a people.
I call upon the general public to be vigilant and responsible so that even as we celebrate and showcase our culture and our traditions we display respect for ourselves and for others.
We must do all within our power to ensure the safety and security of revelers and spectators. All participants in the Anguilla Summer Festival 2012 must feel at ease. Disruption and potential disruption must be promptly dealt with. I am convinced that with all of us working together to achieve this goal, perpetrators and would-be perpetrators can either be deterred or detained with due haste. Our collective efforts cannot be vanquished by a few who in no way represent who we are as a people.
Anguilla belongs to us and we have to protect and preserve her both for ourselves and for future generations. Together, let’s ensure we have a peaceful, safe and fun-filled Summer Festival.
Honourable Edison Baird
Minister of Health & Social Development
– Press Release
