The West End community is working towards establishing its own police presence there with the blessing of law enforcement personnel and the Government of Anguilla. This is in response to the scarcity of Government funds which do not allow for a separate police station, or outpost, to be provided in that tourism belt district.
This is according to the Elected Representative there, Mr. Cardigan Connor: “I have gathered all the business owners – the hoteliers and restaurateurs and other persons who have business in West End – and we have had meetings with the Commissioner of Police to stress the fact that there is a great need for a police presence, a police station, in the area,” Mr. Connor told The Anguillian in an interview.
“The word from the Commissioner is that, at this stage, with the Government strapped for money, it is very difficult to have a police station in West End. I think the next suggestion would be that the investors in the community – hoteliers, restaurateurs and other business owners – would come together and assist in the financing of the plan, and the idea is to get as many of them as possible to make contributions towards that effort. Some of the business owners in West End have security staff, but what we have in mind is the interest of the whole community and something like a neighbourhood watch. What we are concerned about is not just to protect persons in the business establishments, but those who move around throughout the community. I think we can provide that coverage. That is our intention and with the start of the New Year we will get together again on the matter.”
In November, last year, the recently-appointed British Police Commissioner, Mr. Paul Morrison, held three public consultations in East End, The Valley and West End to discuss a police plan for the island. The above idea of the West End community springs from those consultations and is now expected to be moved forward as outlined by the Elected Representative.
“We are putting our heads together to make that happen,” Mr. Connor continued. “There is a need for this – not just in West End, but throughout Anguilla, but the focus is obviously in West End – the district that I represent. It is the financial capital of Anguilla where a number of our tourists are, but it is not just about the tourists. It is about the pe
ople who live in West End as well; and crime is not just limited to West End. It is throughout Anguilla and if more districts and communities were to take their responsibilities seriously, and do the policing there, we will cut down a great deal on the crime…”
Mr. Connor stressed that there was a need for a general movement in West End and other communities to stave off crime and violence. “I think, like everything else, you want everybody to be involved – not some in, and some out, because it is about benefiting everybody,” he stated. “We know that in the past there have been some challenges, and a couple of the business establishments have been talking about it but, as the saying goes, ‘talk is cheap’. We now need to make it happen, and for somebody to start the walk.”
Asked whether there was a place earmarked where the police presence or station would operate, Mr. Connor said that a tourism resort at Meads Bay, which he identified, “has an office that policemen can use. I think at this stage it would be [staffed] by Special Constables with the supervision of a Sergeant. The police presence would probably start there and hopefully it will. The urgency is there and the input is there.”
As the Elected Representative for the West End/Long Bay constituency, Mr. Connor holds the appointment of Parliamentary Secretary with responsibility for Tourism, Sports and Culture. He made the point that, as the Government’s financial situation improves, later on, it might be possible for the Government to be able to afford a police outpost in West End, thus relieving the community of that self-help responsibility.
