As the series of activities continue in the lead up to the grand celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution on May 30th this year, it has been announced that a West Indies Cricket team is to engage an Anguillian team on the James Ronald Webster Park.
The Anguillian newspaper spoke about this coming event with Mr. Cardigan Connor, Parliamentary Secretary Tourism, Sports and Youth and Culture Affairs.
“We are actually looking to have the West Indies tea m come here and play against an Anguillian team on either the 27th or 28th of May. This is to help us to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of our Revolution,” Mr. Connor said. “It has been an easy sell to the West Indies cricket management because Anguilla, over the last 20-25 years, has produced a number of players who have represented the West Indies in the Under 15s, Under 19s [and other matches] with Omari Banks on the senior team.
“I would like to think that we can bring together all the cricketers who represented Anguilla over the last 50 years, so between the Sports Office or the Ministry of Sports and the Cricket Association and those members of the past – whether Wycliffe Richardson or Alkins Rogers –they can help us to come up with all the names of the players who have represented Anguilla.”
Mr. Connor took the opportunity to mention various other sporting events coming up in Anguilla as follows: “There are other sports, like track & field, in which Anguillian youngsters are actively involved and have done pretty well. We are also looking at an after school, and a Saturday, golf programme. The idea is that, may be in 5 to 8 years, we can have a young Anguillian going off on a golf scholarship and eventually coming back to Anguilla and helping to run the golf course. That scholarship is open to both boys and girls. With the thought of the Conch Bay project going through, in the foreseeable future, and with the idea of a golf course there as well, it will be a great opportunity for us to have that further development through sports and education.
“Dimitri Adams, through cricket, is at the Hampshire Academy and he is also at Southampton University, so we are also looking for a win-win for him there and for us.
“On the water, it is good to see that Social Security is assisting our youngsters with building a yacht for the Youth Sailing Club. Meanwhile, for the Anguilla Day round the island boat race, I am working closely with all the hotels and villas to come up with funding to assist with the first prize, as w
ell as sports scholarships from that funding, and for a playing field in West End – that’s the district where I come from. West End is the only district in the island that doesn’t have a playing field. It would not be just for sports, but also recreation for the community.”
Mr. Connor, who expressed the hope that sports can help to sell Anguilla as a tourist destination, added: “In 2018 we would like to have a marathon here in Anguilla. We would also like to think that we can have a triathlon. A place like Meads Bay would be ideal for that where swimming, beach running, kayaking and cycling can take place. Next year we will have the Commonwealth Games in Australia and we are encouraging all of our people to give our participating youngsters as much support as possible.”
