Elected Representative for the Road North constituency in Anguilla and Hon. Ministerial Assistant in the Ministry of Home Affairs & Education, Mrs Evalie Bradley, returned to Anguilla recently following a privately funded visit to Slough, UK, for personal and family reasons.
During that visit she was the guest of the Mayor of Slough, along with the UK/Anguilla Community President, Mrs Grace Carty-Vanterpool, and Mrs Joyce Richardson, Councillor for the Colnbrook Community in Slough as well as some members of Mrs Bradley’s family who also were in the UK.
The Mayor of Slough and Mrs Bradley exchanged greetings after which Mrs Bradley was presented with a Certificate in honour of the visit and a bouquet of flowers followed by delicious Indian hors d’oeuvres.
Mrs Bradley traveled to the UK to attend the funeral of a close family relative but was asked by the Hon. Premier, Mr. Victor Banks, to stay on in the UK for the Anguilla Day activities as the Government of Anguilla’s representative. These were held over the weekend of 8-9th June 2019. The first event was a well attended formal dinner and dance at the Slough Cricket Club which was also attended by the Mayor of Slough.
Mrs Bradley was the keynote speaker at that event during which she highlighted the long established social and economic linkage between Anguilla and Slough, the area where the majority of Anguillians settled when they migrated to the UK in the early fifties and thereon. Mrs Bradley also updated the Anguillian diaspora on the rebuilding and restoration work in Anguilla following the ravages of Hurricane Irma, in 2017, as well as the progress made by the Anguilla administration during the last four years through very challenging circumstances.
Mrs Bradley assured listeners that all was not gloom and doom as they might tend to believe listening to some of the talk show programmes – but gave thanks to God for how far He has brought us through. She told the large number of guests that the reconstruction work on the public sector infrastructure was just about to start and would provide vibrant economic activity particularly in the construction sector, and that the banking sector is now more stabilized with NCBA holding its own and currently has the larger market share of the two commercial banks. Government is considering a third entrant in the banking sector against the backdrop of the issue of de-risking and correspondent banking faced by Caribbean governments.
Mrs Bradley took the opportunity to challenge all those who have travelled to the UK with the hope of making a better life, and especially the young people, to take advantage of the opportunities available to them to educate themselves, gain experience and make themselves more marketable for the workplace, their communities – and for Anguilla in the event they choose to return to their homeland to continue to make their contributions socially and economically.
She challenged them to be productive and resourceful citizens of the UK and not to depend on the UK Government to hand them out dole money because, as Anguillians, we have more pride and dignity. “Make yourselves better than when you left Anguilla,” she admonished them.
On Sunday 9th June a massive crowd of Anguillians and other supporters attended the Family Fun Day where there was live entertainment, stalls, Anguillian food, arts and craft, barbeque stalls, bouncing castles, domino games and much more in a carnival type atmosphere.
This event was also attended by the Mayor of Slough and the MP for Slough. It was indeed a memorable celebration enjoyed by young and old alike.
Commendations must go to Mrs Grace Vanterpool, and her loyal team of organizers, for such a well planned and executed celebration in the UK for Anguilla Day.
