While many of us are concerned about how Anguilla is going to fare going forward from a social, political and economic standpoint, very few people are expressing real concern about the “physical place” called Anguilla. This is an area that we all need to become increasingly concerned about.
As the world prepares to celebrate Environment Day this coming Sunday, June 5, 2022, there is a need for us in Anguilla to focus on a major, major challenge facing our small island. Anguilla is crumbling into the sea.
And while the British Government is concerned about biodiversity we, as Anguillians, need to zero in and focus on the need to protect Anguilla’s coastline. Tragically, Anguilla is quickly crumbling into the sea and losing its beaches.
However, there is little talk about this tragedy. We seem prepared to look at it as just another act of nature. But I challenge most Anguillians to look at some of our neighbouring islands and observe that the same is not true for St Maarten, St Kitts, Dominica, the US Virgin Islands or the British Virgin Islands.
Anguilla is a relatively small, flat coral rock, and because we have little or no rainfall, the vegetation on our so called hillsides is dying. As a consequence, any little rain that falls washes the top soil away and the hillside crumbles.
We also have strong waves continuously lashing against the very soft and porous coastline. The more that happens, areas of the coastline erode and fall off into the sea.
Take a look at the higher parts of Anguilla – the North Hill coastline and the Crocus Hill coastline as you near Little Bay. All along the north side of the island there is evidence of major collapse of the hillside from way up.
Take a boat ride around the west and southern coastline, and you will see more evidence of major erosion. As you come along the southern side of the island’s coastline into the Forest and Conchpool area going in to Sandy Hill, and in to Sandy Hill proper – there is also much evidence of coastal erosion.
Head further into the southeast and east coastline, and you will see that there is an egress into the coastal area on the eastern side of Anguilla. There is evidence of sand being mined and removed from the bays as well as evidence of the sea coming ashore.
Anguillians, it is time for action – now!
The question is, what can we do? We can lend our voices to sound the alarm. We need to urgently solicit the support and advice of experts to help us understand how best to respond because, clearly, something must be done.
Is global warming partly responsible? Yes. It is taking a toll because of drought, rising sea levels and the warming of the ocean waters. This is impacting our coral reefs causing death of the coral. As the coral dies, the barrier reefs are compromised and may not be able to prevent the big ocean swells from coming ashore. All that is true, but we as Anguillians must act with a sense of urgency to get assitance to mitigate and to help protect our coastline.
Anguillians, this is an urgent cry!
A few days ago, a concerned gentleman walked up to me and asked, have you been noticing the collapse of the coast as you near Pelican Point in Little Bay? Obviously, there was a major landslide on top of the hill. The gentleman also noted that there is a house sitting a little further back at the top of the hill but, in a few years, it could very well be under threat as the hillside collapses even further. There is evidence that the vegetation that had been there for many years has also dried up and is now dead.
At this time of the year when it is extremely hot and dry, some of us feel the pain of Anguilla’s land and realise the need for preventive and corrective action – the earth is parched, the soil is cracked, the vegetation is dried. We need help and we need it now.
While the focus is on the coastline, we also have evidence of abuse of the inland. There is unsightly garbage and litter all across the island, so that even if it rains, the cans, bottles and other debris strewn about only hamper the growth of new vegetation. A prime example is the area overlooking Sandy Ground from the Back Street. The dirt road leading from Back Street down to the bay is littered with trash and other garbage lodged in the shrubsy and trees all along the entire length of the road.
We need to love Anguilla more than this. We need to protect and preserve Anguilla better than this and the time for action is now.
People of Anguilla, wake up. Government of Anguilla, please look into this and seek the support of the British government. There is a strong need to seek out someone or some entity that can help us in slowing down the process of coastal erosion on Anguilla, and we need to have a comprehensive plan to clean up the litter throughout the island.
We, in Anguilla, need to step up and step out to lead the region by example in aggressively moving towards renewable energy – one of the factors that will reduce global warming.
The time for action is now if we want to leave Anguilla for future generations. We must act now, with one voice, and we have to solicit whatever help we can get from whomever can get it – now.
As we are about to celebrate Environment Day, let us focus on protecting our little island home – what used to be 35 square miles of paradise. Anguilla today, I fear, is much smaller than that.
The time for action is now!
