Over the past several days it was a surprise to many persons to hear that the Executive Council had taken a decision that the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway “should be designated as a drag-racing strip during particular times.” According to the minutes of the meeting of December 11, 2014, EXCO authorised the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture to engage in further discussion with such interest groups as the Drag Racing Committee/Anguilla Motorsports Inc., the Royal Anguilla Police Force, the Emergency Services and other relevant stakeholders. Among other matters, the aim was to “establish some agreed parameters for the holding of practice races” on the highway. After that, the EXCO minute stated that the Attorney General’s Chambers would prepare the necessary ‘amendment’ to designate the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway as a drag racing strip “from time to time”. It is not clear whether this ‘amendment’ relates to the Vehicle and Road Traffic Ordinance under which the highway is in fact a public road in Anguilla.
The first public consultation on drag racing was held at the Teachers’ Resource Centre on Wednesday, November 5, 2014. There was an overwhelming attendance of drag racing fans as well as a number of politicians including the Minister of Sports, the Honourable Jerome Roberts. He made it clear that he could not take a supporting position on the matter then as it would eventually come before him for approval in Executive Council. He commented, however, that there was a need “for Government to find a way to help move the process forward” and a means “whereby drag racers can carry on this sport”. That way forward must now be interpreted as being EXCO’s decision to designate the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway a drag racing strip – whether temporarily or otherwise.
Drag racing is a thrilling sport with attendant risks, but it is also an exciting activity practiced by persons all over the world, once all of the required facilities, protection measures and curbs are in place. The matter has not only been on the discussion table for a long time in Anguilla, but the previous Government had earmarked an area at Corito for a drag racing strip. No one in Anguilla is really vehemently opposed to such a facility, but the view of many persons in the past, and at present, is that a public road is not a place for such a sport, and that a purpose-built facility, away from the normal areas of public traverse, is where the racing strip should really be located. The view has also been expressed that the Government should not actually be a partner in the procurement of such a facility in order to avoid certain liability risks in terms of accidents.
It is unheard of anywhere in the world that a public road is designated as a drag racing strip. There will always be the haunting fear that some hapless pedestrian or driver, venturing on that road, may run into serious trouble even when everything was presumably done to halt regular travel at specific times. The Anguilla Police have always been watchful for persons illegally engaging in drag racing activity on the island’s public roads – particularly the Long Path and the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway – determined to arrest, charge and prosecute them for traffic violations. How can Government now expect the Police to help to administer the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway as a drag racing strip? Wouldn’t that be most embarrassing, if not insulting?
One sensible way of dealing with the matter is to develop a drag racing strip, elsewhere, funded by private sector capital, although, admittedly, this may obviously take a long time. It is here, however, where the Corito site comes in. There is perhaps the need to ask ourselves whether there is any sensible reason to rush into making the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway a drag racing strip, or rather to wait a little longer until a purpose-built facility can somehow be provided.
The Jeremiah Gumbs Highway is not just another public road in Anguilla. It was constructed at great cost to provide access to a new housing development area on the south coast of the island. As a result, there are a number of upscale houses there and others are in the course of construction. The fact that persons are living there means that, at any given time, they may wish to travel back and forth. Would it be right to restrict their freedom and enjoyment of movement to allow the public road to be used as a drag racing strip?
Our research into the Jeremiah Gumbs Highway reveals the following information: Funding Agency: European Union; Contractor: Dipcon Engineering Services Ltd; Engineers: Mouchel Consultants; Road Length: 3.5 Km; Construction Costs: EC$5,509,662.69; Engineering Costs: EC$550,000; Land Costs: EC$814,000 (Plus Land Exchange); Commencement: 19 May, 2003; Completion: February 2004; Gazetted as a Public Road: March 2004; Official Opening: 25 March 2004.
If we should add anything to the above, it would be this – Supported by EXCO as a Designated Drag Racing Strip: December 11, 2014. Is this a laughable or silly decision?
