Meesha Richardson, Nakishma Rogers-Hull and Isabella Curtis
An undertaking to relive and celebrate the traditional jollifications in the Anguillian communities got off to a fairly good start on Tuesday, March 2 – the official holiday marking the birthday of the island’s Revolutionary Leader, James Ronald Webster.
The event started at Sandy Hill, on the premises of Hope Community Centre, where a number of persons were busy cleaning the area. Ms. Gisselle Hodge, leader of the Inspire Group, explained that a community relaxation project, with benches and other facilities, is being developed there.
Next on the tour, by the Anguilla Enhancement Project team, was the Keys, island Harbour, where a community group, involving Mrs. Olive Hodge, other women, as well as men, engaged in traditional cooking; hoeing ground; planting and playing string band music.
The third tour was at Shoal Bay which also included the Stoney Ground, Tackling and Little Dix communities, with some of the main organisers being Cutelyn Carty and Shellya Rogers-Webster. The work entailed the refurbishing of a small road-side building housing a well, the removal of excess trees and the erection of a keep the community clean sign.
In Statia Valley, community persons engaged in a clean-up campaign and the uncovering of an 18-fathom old well; and in Blowing Point, a community group was involved in tree-planting.
The National Jollification Day, to be an annual affair, is part of the Anguilla Enhancement Project whose President is Mrs. Nakishma Rogers-Hull. It involves the participation of a number of village groups which have registered for the Best Village Competition for a better Anguilla.
Speaking at Sandy Hill, Mrs. Rogers told The Anguillian newspaper: “I am the President of the Anguilla Enhancement Project. This is something that we started in 2018 but it never really came to fruition. I got some other people involved and we decided to bring it back. It is a competition that is really to transform Anguilla village by village. We want to encourage persons living in Anguilla to be responsible for their surroundings, and making Anguilla a five star place – not just at the western end of the island but throughout the island. That is really our goal. We are relying on the communities to get on board to buy into our vision – and they are doing it. This is our first event on Jollification Day and I am really excited because it is on Ronald Webster’s Day.
“It is amazing that we are at the entrance to Sea Feather’s Bay where he lived. We wanted to start off here as we are celebrating the birthday of the Father of the Nation in a way that is culturally significant, and will have real transformational value for Anguilla and its people.
“The main competition is being judged all year round and we are going to announce the winner in November. It takes time to transform your country and we are giving the various villages opportunities. We have set certain dates for certain events. Our next event should be March 21 – ‘plant a tree day’, and we are collaborating with the National Trust to get about 500 plants to distribute to our various community groups. We are actually here to assist them.”
Mrs. Rogers-Hull added: “We are raising funds to give them as much support as possible. Thus far, we have had small donations from the National Commercial Bank of Anguilla – and a few other small sponsors have come on board. Even what the media houses are doing is sponsorship, and we really appreciate it as it helps us to reach our goal. So if persons can donate to us in money, in kind, in time and resources, it all adds up at the end of the day. This event is taking place with not a lot of money, and that’s the thing about jollification. It was not about money. It was about pooling mainly labour resources, whatever food you had in your house, and making an effort to improve some aspect of your community; and we are getting it done with an almost zero budget.”
President Nakishma’s team comprises: Moira Masshardt, Vice President; Meesha Richardson, Marketing Officer; Isabella Curtis, Financial Officer; and Louise Fayet, Executive Assistant.
