An extended press conference held by the Government of Anguilla on Monday, November 30, discussed a range of matters impacting the minds of many Anguillians at home and abroad. Chief among the issues were Covid-19 and the financial and economic situation on the island.
Anguilla’s Premier, Dr. Ellis Webster, gave a timely update regarding the Covid-19. He stated in part:
“We have now been able to reopen Anguilla in a phased manner to allow visitors to come to the island. We have been doing repatriation and over 750 Anguillians have been repatriated. We have also had medical evacuees returned; and there have been over 500 visitors so far.
An extended press conference held by the Government of Anguilla on Monday, November 30, discussed a range of matters impacting the minds of many Anguillians at home and abroad. Chief among the issues were Covid-19 and the financial and economic situation on the island.
Anguilla’s Premier, Dr. Ellis Webster, gave a timely update regarding the Covid-19. He stated in part:
“We have now been able to reopen Anguilla in a phased manner to allow visitors to come to the island. We have been doing repatriation and over 750 Anguillians have been repatriated. We have also had medical evacuees returned; and there have been over 500 visitors so far.
“Unfortunately, we were Covid free having three cases back in March and they recovered by April 26. We were Covid free until November 21 when we had our fourth case – and this was a visitor who has since left the island; and, recently, in the last two days [November 28], two persons came in and tested positive. Those who came in were following the protocols and arrived with negative tests, [but] when they were tested on arrival they were positive. They are in insolation and are asymptomic. Contact tracing has been done. The Ministry of Health and Public Health want to reassure the public that protocols are being followed appropriately in terms of follow-up. We have strict protocols in place and that is how we intend to keep our community safe. It is always a risk by opening the country that we would import the virus – and we have put protocols in place to limit the chance that anybody coming in positive would not be exposed to the general public to result in community spread.”
On financial issues, Premier Webster said the Government was now working on the 2021 budget for submission to Executive Council during this week, and to the House of Assembly for passage before the end of the year. He also said that the Medium Term Economic and Fiscal Plan, to implement policies for the next three years, 2021-2023, had already been sent to the UK Government for approval.
Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, addressed the importance of quarantining persons at Government-approved facilities, as well as approved properties, as part of an ongoing effort to stop the community spread of Covid-19.
“There is a restriction of movement – a public health presence and surveillance at an approved facility for quarantine or isolation,” she stressed. “Persons, who offend what they are required to do at an approved facility, will have to deal with the law that is very clear on what occurs. We are resting on the Attorney General for moving forward…The ball is now with him to move forward with the necessary legal arrangements for persons found in breach of quarantine. They will be fined up to 38,400 dollars or six months in prison. We have seen those legal recourses in action. We have seen them work and deter, so I have every confidence that our legal counsel, the Attorney General, will take the necessary steps to deal with persons who breach any protocols they have already agreed to, knowing the role they play. This is whether it is an approved facility or just a tourist. We will rely on his guidance as we move forward.”
The Parliamentary Secretary referred to a letter she recently sent to hoteliers about the accommodation and movement of guests. “In hindsight, I would not have used the word ‘relax’ [of restrictions] because I think it was taken a bit out of context,” she pointed out. “As long as it is a beach in front the property, tourists can utilise the beach. That letter was written to the industry partners and was not a public letter…Even with beach use there are strict protocols that all properties must adhere to. It is not that persons, coming to the island, can go off to the beach and no one is really concerned about where they move.
“There are pre-established protocols that all industry partners know about, so when I said beach use, in the letter to industry partners, it was beach use as per the pre-established protocols. The letter said there were lots of activities that were prohibited. These are restaurant activities, gyms and other services available on the properties – as well as off property activities that we consider in the bubble. These include excursions to off-island cays, beach activities outside of the beach in front the property.”
Mrs. Gumbs-Marie went on to speak about several tests that are done to ensure that visitors are Covid-free during and after their first 10-14 days in Anguilla. She emphasised that guests are required to remain in their hotel rooms until they received their test results, rather than moving around the property as a visitor reportedly did aftering having tested positive on arrival in Anguilla.
In economic development matters, Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism, Mr. Hadyn Hughes, spoke about the resurfacing of the airport – funded by the UK Government at a cost of four million pounds; and the development of a business plan for the later extension of the runway by the Canadian Commercial Corporation. He also said that a contract was signed on November 13, with a local surveyor, for the resurfacing of The Valley main road including the Carter Rey Boulevard.
Mr. Kyle Hodge, Minister of Economic Development and Natural Resources, spoke on the residence by investment programme whereby homeowners are required to make a payment of 150,000 US dollars to the Capital Development Fund to qualify (for the programme). “That Capital Development Fund is separate from the Consolidated Fund, and a National Capital Investment Committee will be established to manage that Fund,” he explained. Minister Hodge also mentioned the Government’s Special Economic Zone project; the development of a business licence policy; a manufacturing policy; and an agricultural policy. He reported that his Ministry was dealing with applications from two medical schools; the sale of CuisinArt; new water rates for farmers; and increased ploughing fees to assist with the maintenance of tractors, among other matters.
As regards social development and education, Minister Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers hoped that a new education plan would be completed by the end of the year. She observed that the plan would set the pace for the next five years, in terms of what the Government hoped to achieve, and the required budgetary allowances. About Covid-19, she said parents were free, if they so desired, to have their children wear masks.
The Minister spoke about plans for the decriminalisation of small amounts of marijuana and consultations with stakeholders; the Child Justice Bill, now awaiting amendment and its first reading in the House of Assembly during the first quarter of 2021; and other policies in 2021 which she declined to mention.
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Kenneth Hodge, said December was designated as “Employment Drive Month”. He continued: “The Department of Labour is continuing its mandate to enhance its employment and manpower services which include looking at the recruitment and placement of Anguillians in the labour market…We are encouraging all our unemployed persons to come to the Labour Department, during the month of December, and register their cvs and resumes. This will enable the department to implement a labour market information system.” (See press release elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian.)
The Minister disclosed that his Ministry was developing an understudy policy. “We are going to make a few tweets to our Labour Relations Act to give it some teeth,” he stressed. “We are quite serious in that, over the years, we have seen our hospitality workers disenfranchised and discriminated against. They have been left out, and we are of the view that this move, by us, will go a long way to begin, once more, to make our hospitality workers shine in the tourism industry in Anguilla.”
“Unfortunately, we were Covid free having three cases back in March and they recovered by April 26. We were Covid free until November 21 when we had our fourth case – and this was a visitor who has since left the island; and, recently, in the last two days [November 28], two persons came in and tested positive. Those who came in were following the protocols and arrived with negative tests, [but] when they were tested on arrival they were positive. They are in insolation and are asymptomic. Contact tracing has been done. The Ministry of Health and Public Health want to reassure the public that protocols are being followed appropriately in terms of follow-up. We have strict protocols in place and that is how we intend to keep our community safe. It is always a risk by opening the country that we would import the virus – and we have put protocols in place to limit the chance that anybody coming in positive would not be exposed to the general public to result in community spread.”
On financial issues, Premier Webster said the Government was now working on the 2021 budget for submission to Executive Council during this week, and to the House of Assembly for passage before the end of the year. He also said that the Medium Term Economic and Fiscal Plan, to implement policies for the next three years, 2021-2023, had already been sent to the UK Government for approval.
Parliamentary Secretary, Tourism, Mrs. Quincia Gumbs-Marie, addressed the importance of quarantining persons at Government-approved facilities, as well as approved properties, as part of an ongoing effort to stop the community spread of Covid-19.
“There is a restriction of movement – a public health presence and surveillance at an approved facility for quarantine or isolation,” she stressed. “Persons, who offend what they are required to do at an approved facility, will have to deal with the law that is very clear on what occurs. We are resting on the Attorney General for moving forward…The ball is now with him to move forward with the necessary legal arrangements for persons found in breach of quarantine. They will be fined up to 38,400 dollars or six months in prison. We have seen those legal recourses in action. We have seen them work and deter, so I have every confidence that our legal counsel, the Attorney General, will take the necessary steps to deal with persons who breach any protocols they have already agreed to, knowing the role they play. This is whether it is an approved facility or just a tourist. We will rely on his guidance as we move forward.”
The Parliamentary Secretary referred to a letter she recently sent to hoteliers about the accommodation and movement of guests. “In hindsight, I would not have used the word ‘relax’ [of restrictions] because I think it was taken a bit out of context,” she pointed out. “As long as it is a beach in front the property, tourists can utilise the beach. That letter was written to the industry partners and was not a public letter…Even with beach use there are strict protocols that all properties must adhere to. It is not that persons, coming to the island, can go off to the beach and no one is really concerned about where they move.
“There are pre-established protocols that all industry partners know about, so when I said beach use, in the letter to industry partners, it was beach use as per the pre-established protocols. The letter said there were lots of activities that were prohibited. These are restaurant activities, gyms and other services available on the properties – as well as off property activities that we consider in the bubble. These include excursions to off-island cays, beach activities outside of the beach in front the property.”
Mrs. Gumbs-Marie went on to speak about several tests that are done to ensure that visitors are Covid-free during and after their first 10-14 days in Anguilla. She emphasised that guests are required to remain in their hotel rooms until they received their test results, rather than moving around the property as a visitor reportedly did aftering having tested positive on arrival in Anguilla.
In economic development matters, Minister of Infrastructure and Tourism, Mr. Hadyn Hughes, spoke about the resurfacing of the airport – funded by the UK Government at a cost of four million pounds; and the development of a business plan for the later extension of the runway by the Canadian Commercial Corporation. He also said that a contract was signed on November 13, with a local surveyor, for the resurfacing of The Valley main road including the Carter Rey Boulevard.
Mr. Kyle Hodge, Minister of Economic Development and Natural Resources, spoke on the residence by investment programme whereby homeowners are required to make a payment of 150,000 US dollars to the Capital Development Fund to qualify (for the programme). “That Capital Development Fund is separate from the Consolidated Fund, and a National Capital Investment Committee will be established to manage that Fund,” he explained. Minister Hodge also mentioned the Government’s Special Economic Zone project; the development of a business licence policy; a manufacturing policy; and an agricultural policy. He reported that his Ministry was dealing with applications from two medical schools; the sale of CuisinArt; new water rates for farmers; and increased ploughing fees to assist with the maintenance of tractors, among other matters.
As regards social development and education, Minister Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers hoped that a new education plan would be completed by the end of the year. She observed that the plan would set the pace for the next five years, in terms of what the Government hoped to achieve, and the required budgetary allowances. About Covid-19, she said parents were free, if they so desired, to have their children wear masks.
The Minister spoke about plans for the decriminalisation of small amounts of marijuana and consultations with stakeholders; the Child Justice Bill, now awaiting amendment and its first reading in the House of Assembly during the first quarter of 2021; and other policies in 2021 which she declined to mention.
Minister of Home Affairs, Mr. Kenneth Hodge, said December was designated as “Employment Drive Month”. He continued: “The Department of Labour is continuing its mandate to enhance its employment and manpower services which include looking at the recruitment and placement of Anguillians in the labour market…We are encouraging all our unemployed persons to come to the Labour Department, during the month of December, and register their cvs and resumes. This will enable the department to implement a labour market information system.” (See press release elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian.)
The Minister disclosed that his Ministry was developing an understudy policy. “We are going to make a few tweets to our Labour Relations Act to give it some teeth,” he stressed. “We are quite serious in that, over the years, we have seen our hospitality workers disenfranchised and discriminated against. They have been left out, and we are of the view that this move, by us, will go a long way to begin, once more, to make our hospitality workers shine in the tourism industry in Anguilla.”
