The cross-road, called the Carter Rey Boulevard or The Valley Main Road, is a relatively bare environmental site. Gone are two of the three century-old trees – cultural landmarks – and the beauty both of the new and old Anguilla.
The trees were discretely removed by the Government between 2 and 3 am on Wednesday, July 28, using a “priest man” or excavator machine.
Gone too is the impossible promise that at least the trees might be relocated in a vain effort to save them. Impossible too because there was no known or tried way to preserve the old, massive, and very deep root systems which greatly developed and expanded over the years.
The remains of the trees – except the trunk of the tamarind tree just off from The Valley Roundabout – were chopped or broken up and packed in trucks, by the machine operator, and transported to the Corito Dumpsite. There goes forever – the cultural and social history of Anguilla. The only part of the tree that has been kept is the huge dug-up trunk which reportedly will be used for manufacturing of some type of cultural furniture.
The tamarind tree, just west of the Pro-Cathedral of St. Mary, a shelter for produce and fish vendors, and near the People’s Market and the Food Strip, was removed first.
The third tamarind tree, in the Old Factory complex area, has not been removed for the time being. It was, however, substantially pruned recently. The removal of the two trees now clears the way for the commencement of the planned road reconstruction and redevelopment work in the area.
One commentator likened the early morning removal work as “the theft of the tamarind trees in the night.” Another consoled himself by saying – “well, it is the price to pay for development.” Yet a third commentator remarked: “It’s a cultural disgrace.”
