I am delighted to speak to you today in what will go down in history as a period of great militancy and resilience by you the people of my beloved nation of Anguilla. You in a time when the pressures and forces signal death and decay made decisions on April 22, 2015, for the upward, forward and onward mobility of your great nation. Four years later Anguilla like a great vessel is turning away from the troubled waters of ruin towards a haven of renewal and hope. It will be sometime before we are safely in that harbor of our grand hopes and desires for we were a long way off, having been windswept and battered. Yet I give you my pledge that together we shall uplift our country until we disembark and walk the streets of everlasting joy.
I celebrate you collectively for it would have been understandable to throw your hands up and sing captain the ship is sinking but even while we had torn sails signaling our final hour in our banking institutions, water embarrassments, silly talks of access that omitted airlift and direct flights, you the great people of this nation still believe in the greatness of your country. Choices have consequences and today your choice is the only reason why we are sailing with more buoyancy than we had four years ago and with a new found chartered course.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has enabled me, putting me in this ministry. I am especially proud of the people in Road South who made a profound change in the angle of their political vision. Road South without a doubt it is your choice that has played a significant role in bringing Anguilla away from the brink of disaster and doom into the chartered course of rejoicing and hope. You have done your country well and I dare say to you sail on! Government is a collective responsibility indeed but that collective responsibility is composed of individual responsibilities. Your voting hands Road South have been an awesome hand in the salvation of your country. Choices indeed have consequences.
The nation of Anguilla must be forever grateful to God Almighty for restoring the dignity of everyday living with a 24/7 water distribution system. Furthermore, the farmers and the senior citizens homes will now be provided with water at a reduced rate. Choices have consequences. I wish to thank the people of Road South in general and specifically those who accepted my request to work hand in hand with me and persevered with me until the breakthrough came namely the Chairman Christopher Richardson, the deputy Chairman Mark Romney, Mr. Maurice Davis and Miss Valisa Carty former members, Mrs. Serena Connor-Banks, Mr. Malcolm Webster, Ms Lelia Richardson former member, and Mr. Mcclean Webster. I am also proud of the field workers Macca, Brooks, all the others, the Acting CEO Jennifer Gaskins and the other staff members, Gloria, Lorna, without whom we could not achieve this 24/7 level of success.
The nation of Anguilla stands on the threshold of a new era in aviation and airport development. Anguilla is set now to enjoy the tangible benefits of a category 6 and 7 International Airport. We have come a mighty long way from the days of losing our aerodrome certification and real threats of the closure of our airport. In just 4 years under my leadership we have gone from the brink of disaster with embarrassing living quarters for our hardworking firefighters to having a first class Fire hall and Control Tower called the Combined Services Building soon to be officially opened. I must thank My former PS Larry Franklin and Sandra York for their invaluable view that if we don’t start we never get to finish.
In just 4 years we now can turn our back on the days of having old and useless equipment and look forward to the arrival of more and larger jets with larger capacities, yes, even direct flights from Miami with renewed hope and a sense of pride and God given confidence. We have four firetrucks, one for each year of my term in office, Love, Peace and Joy are spanking brand new and Faith is the newly refurbished one. This “new thing” anointing now taking the country by storm is also evident in the selection of a young talented educated Anguillian to fill the top managerial position as Chief Fire Officer Mr. Shondell Hodge. Choices have consequences indeed!
Road South undoubtedly it was your choice that ushered in the anointing to alter the mindset of out with the old and in with the new. It was a spiritual war that today re-establishes that when the devil say no to airport expansion and direct flights as declared after coming to office, and met with much rebuke and mockery, even within the halls of government, Jesus still says yes and with much manifestation. I will also seek within the coming days to re-establish the regular airline service with our local carriers for persons from Jamaica and other affected nationalities traveling through the ST. Maarten Princess Juliana Airport.
The nation of Anguilla is forever grateful to God and the people of Road South for raising them up to stand on mountains. After the worst hurricane in the history of the nation we witnessed the restoration of electricity, island wide amazingly in three months. I thank the CEO Mr. David Gumbs and the hard working staff at Anglec and the Board whose Chairman is Mr. Harold Vanterpool, and other members, Ms. Shinette Connor, Ms. Dawnette Gumbs, Mr. Erville Hughes, Mr. Kent Webster, Mr. Gary Hodge, Mr. freddy Richardson, Ms. Linette Sasso and Mr. Claude Smith.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma we were blessed to have had so many people come to our rescue. Nevertheless, to live at the mercies of people’s kindness and considerations is a foolish sustainability and recovery plan. We must seriously consider not only the joy and pride of owning an asset but how quickly that asset can become a liability and our pride and joy turned in to ashes. The Chief Minister and the Minister of Labour has finally agreed that within the coming weeks we will sit with the staff of Anglec and hear your concerns and questions as we venture towards a new era for Anglec. As the minister for Energy I confess that the sale of Anglec’s shares is not solely an energy matter. The Chief Minister has had the leadership on this matter and a major role from a financially committed avenue. As the Minister for Energy and as an Anguillian I too wish it could be different on many occasions but I do not have the luxury of dealing with the realities about us in isolation. All the ingredients placed before me when mixed together are what ultimately decided the kind of cake you will bake.
The Ferry Trade which has been a hallmark and testimony to our ability to manage the ocean was quickly re-established in the aftermath of the hurricane. This year 2019 and into 2020 we have to seriously deal with the issues of maritime. I am committed to doing my part as the Minister responsible towards ensuring that we pass every audit with flying colours. I ask all concerned to prepare as we will be audited in 2019 and 2020 as a British Flag State. We have to be ready for our trade is not only impacted by the British scheduled audits but also the international trade, as short a journey as it is, brings us into the scheduled audits of the French and the Dutch. Let us not fail our country as this ferry trade is, as it has always been, the Gateway in Blowing Point to Anguilla.
I thank our French St. Martin and Dutch ST. Maarten colleagues also for the role they played in the restoration of the ferry trade. A new temporary facility housed in the Big Jim Premises is serving the public well. This facility is functional and has received rave reviews. I thank the Romney’s family for their support in addressing our national needs. I was of the view the first day after the hurricane, seeing the building still intact, that the Big Jim Premises was the best option for the continuation of the housed services of ASSPA, Immigration and Customs. I was and will always as the representative for Road South and the Minister of Infrastructure be opposed to the erection of tents, no matter how fancy they appear. I apologized for the recorded alphabetical expression, A, B, C and F but when we are at our lowest we must still have some dignity and pride about who we are and what is acceptable.
When it was uncertain as to how it would play out politically to be demolishing the rubbish Hurricane Irma left for us to clean up many were casting all the blame on me. Armed with foresight to have all things new and to ensure a heighten level of cleanliness I persevered. I am flattered today to hear the phrasing of many seeking to partake in the vision to bring about the new thing. I was never about the decision but I was steep in the mindset.
It is one thing to make a decision afterwards much debate and another to have an initial thought while you are in the moment. It is wise to plan a battle but all warriors know that victory goes quite often to the solider who can think in the heat of the battle for often plan do not account for the realities about us. How could I ask the Anguillian for all he suffered and endured to inhabit the old, the rejected, and the dysfunctional buildings after God sent the message that the era of the new must come forth?
Later this year, 2019, we will witness the commencement of the new Blowing Point Ferry Terminal with adequate parking. Road South, Anguilla is a better place all because you took the time to take your responsibility 4 years ago to seriously choose. Choices have consequences. Our children will no longer be educated within bat and rat infested classroom. Choices have consequences.
In the coming months the Minister of Health Evans Mcneil Rogers will lend strong support to the health programme in the Road South area. I applaud all who are working to make it a reality. Nevertheless, you the people of Road South must be commended for making the right choice to have a representative who knows the hearts and pride of the residents in the community. While there was doubt and speculation, I had every confidence that Mr. Conrad Fleming would support his community and his country. We approached him and the polyclinic for this western area will be built on land exchanged by Mr. Fleming near the old clinic in the same vicinity. I further thank all landowners who have support government’s efforts for land required to met the national agenda. Choices have consequences.
The wharf at sandy Ground was scheduled to be closed some 6 months on the day after I was elected. The nation’s ability to transact business of exportation and importation was in peril. Today the nation has another 15 years with the repaired jetty. The nation additionally will have a new lease on life with a state of the art newly designed jetty with ample operational space and construction is slated to start in July. Participatory Democracy is now living out it true meaning in Road South and has blessed the nation beyond their wildest dreams in the day to day management of the nation’s affairs. I therefore today say a hearty thank you to chairman Mr. Marcel Fahie, former board Member Ms. Shanette Brooks, Board Members – Mr. Maurice Connor, Ms. Simone Connor, Mr. Hubert Gumbs, Mr. Edward Connor, Mrs. Cara Connor, Mr. Carl Woodley, Mr. Joseph Hodge, and Mrs.Sheila Haskins. Again we have enforced the concept that our young talented educated Anguillians fill the top managerial positions as CEO within our organizations. I am proud of Mr. Sherman Williams. I also am proud of all the port workers and security.
His Excellency The Governor Mr. Tim Foy wherever you meet him please extend a kind hand to a great friend of Anguilla. I still stand amazed that in the same vein in which I was chosen and sent he too was chosen and sent. I now know that both of us came not a moment too soon for choices have consequences. From the first effort to get a standby generator for the water plant to securing the Blowing Point New Ferry Terminal His Excellency the Governor has been without a doubt marvelous. He has made the difference in making demands that are met with positive results. I am also grateful for the hard work of my Permanent Secretary, Karim Hodge and the staff of the Ministry of Infrastructure. This year 2019 Chapel Hill and the transportation and Taxi Licencing Regime are two areas of great focus for me.
As we forge ahead in the last year of fulfilling my responsibilities to you the great people of Anguilla in general and the great people of Road South I covert your continual prayers. We have come a mighty long way but we still cannot be satisfied. My destiny is link to your destiny and so I work every day knowing that choices have consequences.
To God be the glory great things he has done.
May God bless Anguilla!
I thank you for listening!
