Some sponsoring business organisations, music lovers, or volunteers may be needed to assist the well-admired Police Community Band to stay alive to continue its musical performances at such official functions as the Anguilla Day Parade, Guards of Honour, State Funerals and National Funerals.
The unfortunate reason is that the band is now facing recruitment and other related difficulties. The reality is that if the situation remains the same, without an immediate solution in sight, Sunday, January 28, the day of the Police Week Anniversary Service, will be the band’s last performance.
Police Officer, Seth Williams, leader of the band, made the starling announcement at that event at the Church of God (Holiness) on the Queen Elizabeth Avenue.
He spoke just before leading the band in playing one of its best-loved hymns. Williams, a saxophonist, later told The Anguilian: “The band might come to a close because of serious challenges. We are trying to recruit new members but, apparently, it appears to me that most Anguillians are not interested in this type of music.
“Of late, the National Funerals were not well attended by the band because 90 percent of its members are civilians and when they have to work, they don’t get time off and they don’t get compensation for the time they have to play for the funerals. If somebody inside the band is not showing up for the funerals, there is nothing that the Commissioner of Police or I can do about it.
“I am trying to recruit more police officers, and to get help to teach them music, so that at least 10 or 12 officers could be in the band all the time to form the core of the band.”
Asked to elaborate on the matter, Mr. Williams told the newspaper: “When my band members were going to school there was no problem for them to come to practice or to play music. Now that they have left school, and have jobs in different areas of work, they do not get off the time to come to practice.”
What would really attract persons in the community to join and perform in the band?
Police Officer Williams replied: “I am hoping that the compensation for the civilian members of the band would be adequately enough to encourage them to come and play in the Police Community Band.”
