The Elected Representative for Road South, Mr. Curtis Richardson, has promised to donate a quantity of schoolbags to children, when the schools reopen in September, as a means of assisting them and their parents in these difficult financial times.
He made the promise while speaking to media representatives about some of the positive things he wants to do as a Minister of the Anguilla Government. Mr. Richardson, who has responsibility for Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, the Environment, Telecommunications, Housing, Agriculture and Fisheries, said: “I should have about 150 schoolbags to give to the children shortly to go back to school with. I am going to give a bag to all the children in sixth grade and those going in fifth grade at Adrian T. Hazell Primary School. Then I am also going to give a bag to all the children in sixth grade at the Alwyn Allison Richardson Primary School at West End; and a bag to all the sixth grade children at the Vivien Vanterpool Primary School at Island Harbour. I am also trying to get some pencils and books but, until I get them, I cannot speak about that.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Richardson has become the first Anguillian parliamentarian to undertake the building of a constituency headquarters, and is being assisted in that regard by a number of his constituents. He is currently working towards the second floor of his two-storey building on the western side of the public main road at Blowing Point.
“I just poured the roof of the Curtis Love Headquarters, and I want to thank a lot of people who appreciate the initiative and gave me blocks, concrete, steel and came to help,” he stated. “I had to put some money from my pocket towards the project but, of course, I couldn’t do it all without the help of a lot of people. I intend to go to the second floor and finish. I am thankful that in four weeks I was able to put up the building and get the [first] roof poured.”
Among other things, Mr. Richardson’s headquarters will have a personal office and an area for constituency town hall meetings and other gatherings.
As part of his ministerial responsibilities, Mr. Richardson is actively engaged in the planned port development at Blowing Point, and is also involved in a considerably large parking lot there as well as some three access roads in the area. In preparation for the car park, at least two private buildings have been demolished with the consent of the owners.
He took the opportunity to speak to the media about the above work. “The whole port project is coming along nicely,” he explained. “A lot of people have already started to tell me how much they appreciate the vision and how they like to see the space and so forth. The new passenger terminal should start sometime in November/December and we should be able to get through with all the needed land.
“We [the Executive Council] were able to approve the funding to pay the owners for the houses that were demolished. We just got through with that in Executive Council last week Thursday (August 2). The overall cost of the property there is going to be around 4-5 million dollars. That money will come through the Government of Anguilla out of Social Security.”
