Chief Minister Victor Banks has annou
nced that he is focusing all of his attention on ensuring that the Conch Bay Development Project soon gets underway as it is a critical underpinning for a strong economy.
The Chief Minister’s comments come in light of the completion of negotiations between Government, investors and the Lake’s family for the Conch Bay Development in the Forest Bay/Tanglewood area.
“We have been negotiating the Conch Bay Development in the Forest Bay/Tanglewood area. Those discussions were taking place with new partners very early before we even came into office but, subsequently, we have brought to the table another investor, ICA, and they have put together a joint venture with Conch Bay Development. The Lake’s family and they have now signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Anguilla,” Banks disclosed during the Government’s press briefing on Tuesday, 4th July.
He continued: “The joint venture has also been signed with the Lakes – that property is 386 acres. It’s a large undertaking. But, in addition to the project, the Government has also been able to – in that MOU – include provision for the expansion of the airport to the tune of 3000 additional feet…[The Conch Bay Development Project]…will include a marina, a town centre, upland development and a cruise terminal. These are now in the design stage.”
The Chief Minister who attended APANY’S dinner and dance over the past weekend said he used the opportunity to meet with some of the investors in the Conch Bay Development.
He disclosed that one of the key investor partners flew in from Dallas to meet with him on Sunday (2nd July) and described the meeting as very positive.
The Chief Minister said he also met with some of the master designers and architects on the following Monday morning, at a breakfast meeting, before he flew back home. “And on the basis of those discussions, we expect that a team will be coming here on the 27th to 28th July, and they will bring their key investors as well as a number of the other partners in the port, upland and marina development – as well as engineers, architects, technicians who will be in Anguilla at that time,” he commented.
The Chief Minister who will be travelling on Sunday (9th July) to London for Brexit talks said he will be discussing the expansion of the airport with the FCO.
Meanwhile, another project the Chief Minister spoke about was Altamer. He said: “We’ve signed the MOU for a very long time now but there is one issue we are now working on. There is a landowner who owns .8 (point 8) of an acre in that property and there has been some discussion back and forth with the investors and Altamer to come to an agreement with that landowner…It has been challenging but now I think we have light at the end of the tunnel. They’ll be coming down to Anguilla to negotiate with Altamer about that critical piece of real estate.”
Banks continued: “Government has to think seriously about how we should proceed with that issue if we can’t come to an agreement. Altamer, as you know, includes a marina project. This was one of the first marina projects that has been approved for development in Anguilla, way back in 2007, and we are pretty close to the implementation but there is one outstanding issue where the investors are concerned. We have come to a point to have serious talks with the landowners and we’re hoping that we can make that happen before the end of the month.”
