The proposed expansion of the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport at Wallblake, and the development of the Conch Bay Tourism Project in the Forest area, were back in the headlines when a group of investors flew to Anguilla from the Dominican Republic to tour the sites and talk with Government officials.
The investors included the ICA Group, LLC which is involved in the development of the Conch Bay project earmarked for several hundred acres of land owned by the Lake’s Family, and a team from the Puntacana Resort & Club whose Executive Director is the successful developer, Mr. Francesca (Frank) Rainieri.
Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Victor Banks, was among the Anguilla Government officials who welcomed the investors at the airport on Saturday, March 17.
Mr. Banks spoke to The Anguillian newspaper a few minutes ahead of the arrival of the investors. “We have some investors coming in from Puntacana in the Dominican Republic, a key stakeholder in one of the projects we are doing here, as well as from ICA which is involved in the Conch Bay development,” he explained.
“They are coming in with some additional investors to have a look around, and we will have a number of meetings with them but, first, we are going to visit the sites of the legacy Conch Bay Project. We will also have discussions on the airport’s expansion and the possibility of their [the ICA Group] involvement and contribution to that as well.”
The Anguillian asked Chief Minister Banks: “Are we now looking at something cast in concrete, as far as the Conch Bay Project is concerned?”
“Yes, we are,” he replied. “The MOU has been signed with the ICA and the CDB (Caribbean Development Bank) since last year. We have extended it this year because of the hurricane so that they have a bit more time to get it right.
“We are also having discussions with a number of persons who may be interested in participating in the airport project. The Anguilla Government’s view is that the airport expansion should be a public/private partnership to ensure that we have a debt mutual situation where the Government of Anguilla, and the people of Anguilla, are not burdened with any debt for the expansion project. So these are key issues that we are dealing with at this point in time.”
The airport expansion is a big talking point in Government circles, the tourism industry and the general public in Anguilla. The project, which reportedly has the support of the UK Government, is regarded as a means of attracting more tourists to the island with direct flights from the US mainland.
A front-runner in the airport expansion project is Mr. Rainieri who, with his Puntacana Resort & Club, is involved in the private ownership of a busy airport in the Dominican Republic. During his visit to Anguilla, last weekend, Mr. Rainieri spoke about the possibility of him organising jet services to Anguilla. He and his team took the opportunity to visit the eastern end of the airport where the proposed expansion is to take place.
Mr. Rainieri also met with Attorney Mr. George Lake, a representative of the Lake’s Family, who took both groups of investors on an extended tour of the legacy Conch Bay estate.
