The Anguilla Tourist Board Building, Head Office of the island’s promotional service, has been under surveillance and treatment for some time now. As a result, operations are being carried out from a section of the James Ronald Webster Building which largely houses the Anguilla Social Security Board.
An update on the Tourist Board Office has been given by the Minister of Tourism and Acting Premier, Mr. Haydn Hughes. He was at the time speaking in a Radio Anguilla interview with Keithstone Greaves on Wednesday, June 23, about matters related to his Ministry and Departments.
“It seems as if there was a longstanding leak where it was creating mold which was affecting the health of persons there – and they had to vacate, “Mr. Hughes disclosed. “Right now they are in the James Ronald Webster Social Security Complex, and they are going to be there until the remedial work is completed. It should be in a few weeks. They are looking at expanding the office footprint of the Anguilla Tourist Board. That work can be done while they relocate…and when the mold situation is arrested. It is not healthy to have persons working in an office where there is mold and spores that can actually kill you.”
Asked whether any thought was given to a new facility to house the Tourist Board Office, Minister Hughes responded: “It is going to be expanded. The drawings and designs have already been completed and the work to expand the Tourist Board should start quite soon. I don’t want to say who the contractor is that won it [the bid] but I believe that they have already secured the contract to do the extension of the building.”
The Tourist Board Building, a former residence of the Anguilla Agricultural Officer, many years ago, was remodelled when it was first turned over to tourism. It passed through several hurricanes over the years including Hurricane Lenny in November 1999 and Hurricane Irma in September 2017.
It was reported recently that the reconstruction of the planned Valley Main Road will include the surfacing of a portion of the existing gravel road east of the Tourist Board Building as a means of improving the aesthetics of the area.
