My fellow Anguillians,
One year ago to this day, you bestowed on our party the honor and privilege of leading our nation. It is an awesome responsibility, one that as Leader of the party I do not take lightly.
A year ago our country was at a crossroads. It was a hard fought contest, and at the end of it, the Anguillian people entrusted us with a mandate to lead our country in the direction we articulated in our campaign and outlined in our Manifesto.
We were humbled by this tremendous vote of confidence. You placed your trust in me and in my administration, and I pledged that I would work every day to make a difference in your lives, to right the ship and to ensure a brighter future for our children.
We have spent this first year working diligently to chart a new path for our nation, and to lay the foundation for the next four years. There is no quick fix to the issues we face, and our successes will not emerge overnight. However, we firmly believe that with your support, if we harness the resilience and creativity of the Anguillian people, we will be well on our way to creating a new and prosperous future for our island.
I believe that it is important that we all understand not only what the government is doing in terms of policy, but also why we have made this particular set of choices. We welcome a healthy debate on the issues, as we had over the banking crisis. It is our hope that as we move forward, we do so in unison, on the basis of a shared vision of what we need to do to achieve our common goals.
This is what I wish to do today, to share with you some of our successes, outline where we are heading, and ask for your involvement and constructive engagement. We cannot do this alone.
Our first and most pressing priority when we assumed the leadership of the country was the resolution of the many critical issues facing the banking sector. Over the past 12 months my administration has focused on creating a resilient, sustainable and affordable solution to Anguilla’s banking difficulties, and safeguarding the life savings of small investors in over 22,000 accounts. Restoring stability to the financial sector will enable us to move forward on a host of other priorities, including attracting much needed foreign direct investment into Anguilla.
The approval of the 2016 Appropriation Act and assent to the Banking Legislation allows for the next stage of our restructuring plans to proceed.
We are also making investments in health and education. Mrs. Blondell Cluff the new UK/EU representative for Anguilla is doing a marvelous job tapping into additional funding to drive Public/ Private Partnerships. A key focus will be on Health City Anguilla and the refurbishment of the Secondary School, which is in dire need of improvement and remains a top priority for this administration.
Included in our budget negotiations is support for a grant of £40m – £50m for capital development, including airport expansion. The CJLIA, despite its number 3 ranking for private jet business, is currently underutilized and we need to increase traffic to this facility. We are working diligently with regional carriers and local airline companies to increase scheduled airlift to the island via the main gateways of St. Maarten, Antigua and San Juan, as well as direct service from the mainland USA.
The extension of the runway is critical to this effort, and we are actively soliciting private investors to partner with us on this project. We have in fact already conducted meetings with a number of interested parties, and securing this commitment is a major priority in our second year.
Taking a look at our ports of entry, we have on the drawing board a complete redesign and overhaul of the Blowing Point Terminal, one that will significantly enhance the experience of residents, and provide a favorable first impression for our visitors.
Plans for the Altamer Marina Project are also progressing smoothly. The potential for increasing the volume and frequency of calls and therefore revenues from sailing yachts will be actively promoted, drawing on the expertise of some of our OECS friends in the region, who have long excelled at attracting this particular market segment.
Let us now turn more specifically to tourism, the foundation of our economy.
Tourism has dominated economic activity in Anguilla for the past 35 years. Anguilla’s Hotels and Restaurants contribute in excess of 22% towards the overall GDP. Tourism is the largest employer on island, representing approximately 64% of total employment.
Nevertheless there is a “disconnect” between the people of Anguilla and the tourism industry in Anguilla. We believe that the time is right for all of us to remember what makes our island unique, to embrace patriotism, pride of place and of country. There is a reason why we enjoy a 60% repeat rate among our visitors, why they keep coming back to find this little piece of paradise. It is, in essence, our people.
I am happy to report that negotiations in progress on new ownership arrangements for Anguilla’s tourism flagship resort, Cap Juluca, are nearing completion. We have already signed off on a head of terms agreement with the owners, and we are now about to sign off on the degree of support that we are prepared to give to achieve the final sale.
The agreement will cover a whole range of issues – from the investment that will need to be made in the future; to ensuring considerations for the staff; provision for a national park development; and provisions for Anguillian entrepreneurs who will be affected by the development in that area. We made a commitment to settle all issues regarding Cap Juluca by the second year of our term, and all indications are that we are well on track to fulfill this promise.
I am also pleased to announce a new campaign, “Welcome to My Anguilla”, an affirmative message that Anguillians can carry to visitors, members of the Caribbean diaspora and returning residents, with a sense of pride and ownership of our country. All visitors should feel embraced by one big Anguillian family.
With this campaign, we intend to build on and support the AHTA Program ‘Tourism is Key’, and provide Anguillians with the opportunity to be a part of the industry. We want to give Anguillians reasons to embrace the tourism industry, educate our people about the importance of tourism for their economy.
The campaign will engage both those working on the front lines of our industry – hotel workers, ground operators, attractions providers — and those who are indirectly involved — our farmers, retailers, food purveyors, realtors etc. A special outreach to the youth through the schools will help students understand and feel a part of the industry at an early age, and ultimately to consider tourism as a viable career path.
A beautification initiative for our capital, The Valley, will be an integral component of the campaign, along with art and essay competitions, social media campaigns, training workshops and the distribution of branded items to reinforce the message. Our overall objective is to bring the importance and the benefits that tourism accrues to the public in a tangible way, reinforcing a sense of pride and shared responsibility.
Conclusion
Earlier this year we recognized the legacy of the Hon. James Ronald Webster as we celebrated his 90th birthday. Next year we will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Anguilla revolution, a time to reflect on our history, and all that has transpired.
As we approach this milestone, it is time for us to set aside the infighting and uncivil discourse that has divided us. We are a small and special nation, one that has endured and triumphed over adversity. Unity is strength, and when we come together there is no limit to what we can achieve.
My fellow Anguillians, we are blessed with spectacular natural resources – our pristine beaches, azure seas, and supremely talented Anguillians who have demonstrated time and again that we have what it takes to succeed.
I ask you to join with me on this journey, to fulfill Anguilla’s destiny — the Anguillian Dream. It is what we will make of it. And I believe we are destined for greatness.
Thank you, and May God bless our island nation, and all her people.
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
