Happy Holidays Anguilla!
The Christmas and New Year’s Holiday season is that time of year where we step back from the rigors of our daily life and take the time to enjoy the holidays with our family and friends. It is an opportunity for us to take stock of where we are in our individual lives and assess how we move forward in the future.
At the dawn of this new year of 2020, we think about all of the blessings that God has bestowed on us over the past year, and pray for God’s continued guidance and protection over us and our loved ones in the year to come. I am pleased to report that significant strides have been made in my Ministry – the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Labour, Education, Human Rights, Constitutional Affairs and Information and Broadcasting – during the year 2019.
Our new Labour law, passed in 2019, ensures that Anguillians who were working on one-year contracts, as at January 2019, became permanent employees at the start of any new contract signed. Our Anguilla Constitution was amended in May 2019 and now recognizes grandchildren of many of our family members, who had to travel far and wide, throughout Anguilla’s history, to make ends meet for those who remained home here in Anguilla. Our grandchildren will no longer require work permits, pay for time or pay for Alien Landholding Licences to hold land given to them by their grandparents.
Equally important, is the Island Wide voting system (to be used for the first time in the 2020 general elections) which will allow for voters to elect up to four persons from across the island to represent us in the Anguilla House of Assembly. This is a necessary step towards greater democracy.
It was critical for us to secure the monies now allocated for our schools: to renovate all of our primary schools and to rebuild one primary school and a new high school – so as to cater to the needs of our children in the 21st century. We want to ensure that our children are leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs, no matter where life takes them in this vast world. Construction has already started at most of the schools and will continue throughout 2020.
As you can tell, we have accomplished a lot over this past year, but we still have more work to do.
I am deeply grateful for the support you have given me, over the past years, as it has allowed me to accomplish so much. And I am honoured to have had this opportunity to serve you, the people of Anguilla, and in particular the residents of the Sandy Hill District. Without you, none of my achievements would have been possible.
Anguilla, our future is bright. The upcoming year will bring challenges but also many new opportunities for our people. We are indeed fortunate to call Anguilla “home”. On behalf of my Ministry, as well as on my own and my family’s behalf, I wish you all a joyous, safe and Happy New Year.
God Bless You and God Bless Anguilla!
