With a big portion of the UK Government’s humanitarian grant to Anguilla already committed to the rebuilding of schools, health facilities and other public sector projects, following Hurricane Irma in 2017, Governor Tim Foy, OBE, is requesting additional money for the island.
“The sixty million pounds is fully committed and we will be able to finish all the projects,” he told The Anguillian newspaper. “The last project to be finished will be the secondary school. It is a big project [25 million US dollars] but it should be finished towards the second half of 2021 – about a year from now. So all the money is committed to ongoing projects but I am absolutely confident that everything that was started, we will be able to finish; and I still trying to get more money. I will never stop until I get more money for Anguilla.”
“How much?”, he was asked.
“As much as I can because there is always more work to do,” he replied. “In terms of where we stand today, my view is that by the end of 2021 we will have six completely refurbished and revitalised primary schools; a new secondary school; a hospital that looks transformed; a brand new polyclinic in The Valley which is the biggest hole I have seen in Anguilla [and a new polyclinic at South Hill].
“For me, two things are really important. The first thing is that all of those designs were Anguillian designs. They were done by the teams who knew what they wanted and they were really direct in insisting that the designs were needed. The other thing is that every single one of those projects is Anguillian contracted. Our contractors have been fantastic. None of the money has gone overseas. It is all going to local contractors who are working seven days a week. I am very pleased.”
About the Blowing Point Port Development Project, the Governor had this to say: “The designs for that are just about finished, and that project will be going out to tender I hope within a month. We managed to move the money around a little bit more, to pay for some things, take some projects out of the programme and get them funded by other projects.”
Asked whether there were some personal feelings of accomplishment on his part for what Anguilla had achieved under his governorship, Mr. Foy responded: “I haven’t done it. Who has done it, is Anguilla and that’s the key thing. We managed collectively to work together and to build confidence and trust. It is Anguillian contractors, the ministries and the departments. It is them who should feel proud, and I hope they do.”
