My fellow Anguillians and friends of Anguilla as we celebrate the 4th Anniversary of the Anguilla United Front government, your government. It gives me an opportunity to reflect on how far we have come as a government and by extension; a country.
First let me first thank God for his guidance and inspiration. I am grateful to you my people of District 7 who bestowed on me the honour of being your elected representative in the Anguilla House of Assembly, an honour that I will cherish for the rest of my days. I am also grateful to the people of Anguilla who constantly inspire me with their words of encouragement. I am certainly fortunate to have a leader with all attributes one could hope for in The Honorable Chief Minister, Victor Banks and ably supported by a Team that have proven to be fit for the challenges we faced when entering office and the years that followed.
No one said it would be easy and our Anguilla United Front government, your Government did not expect it was going to easy. Any incumbent government as was in the case of the previous AUM government who failed to win a single seat at the 2015 general election say that the country was in a terrible state: Not I saying it, the results at the polls speak volume.
In all campaigns candidates make promises or commitments that they believe that are in the best interest of their people, as I look back over the past four years allow me to reflect on the commitments that I made to you my people of District 7 during the campaign leading up to the general election of 2015:
1. Bring back the pride to our district; Brought back August Thursday as the day reserved in the Summer Festival Calendar for Meads Bay. And by the way, West Fest has grown in leaps and bounds from the initial introduction of honoring the Pioneers of West End Boat Racing.
2. A police station: With the lack of funds available to government at the time an alternative was required. This is when I decided to approached the business owners in the district to assist in making it possible for the Royal Anguilla Police force to police our district at nighttime, in order to protect our people as well as the reputation of our Tourism product. We have too many lives lost by use of the gun in our community.
3. The opening of West End Community Development Center. An opportunity for our students at primary as well as comprehensive schools to get assistance with their homework, projects and SBA’s and also those who have a desire for further adult learning.
4. Scholarships for athletes. Mauriel Carty is due to graduate later this year. He was the beneficiary of a scholarship that was supported by Sugar George, Janine Edwards, Niel and Wendy Freeman as well as Robert and Pam Holdsworth.
5. Some work has been done since Hurricane Irma to upgrade the Agnes Agartha Richardson Clinic.
6. Work is currently going on to achieve:
A. The opening of the West End Anguilla Made Arts & Craft Center due to take place on 13th April, which gives our entrepreneurs of the district an opportunity to display and sell their Anguillan made arts and craft. Much thanks to the Anguilla Relief Fund for their contribution to the project.
B. The reopening of the public toilets at Meads Bay after more than 20 years. Thanks for the support of Michael Battin and his team at Malliouhana Auberge.
C. The Welcome to the Villages sign at the lights at Long Bay, Much appreciation to Teacher Irma, the Richardson family, Cheddie and Geoffrey Fieger of Quintessence.
D. The Restoration of the Bedneys well where many of our fore parents would go to collect water on a daily basis for household needs.
E. The restoration of Mahogany Grove park also known as “Yankee Fred Park” with the bird feeding stations, a Rock oven, swings and a documented history of the District on the concrete slabs.
F. The restoration of the Reservoir at Meads Bay as a water storage tank in order to be used as a fire hydrant as well as a monument to those who have contributed over the years in making the district the success that it is today.
G. Progress is being made by Lands and surveys as they continues to work along with the Connor, and Richardson families in order to complete the land swap for the school & community field west of the Alwyn Alison Richardson Primary School.
H. Road access to the Cove wharf is in negotiation with the land owner and it is hoped that the firefly lane will be paved in the very near future.
I. Thanks to all those who assisted in the cleanup of our community before and after hurricane Irma. Please allow me to say special thanks to Sonny, for going the extra mile. My appeal is not just limited to my people of district 7 but to all Anguillians: please, please don’t allow anyone to make you feel embarrassed in taking pride in keeping your community and island clean.
On a national basis I am proud of the collective achievements of my ministerial colleagues in their various ministries. From the challenges in our first year of having to deal with the banking crisis to having to rebuild our island home after the destruction of hurricane Irma.
Especially close to my heart: The sale and ultimately the unification of Belmond Cap Juluca which brings to an end the fabrication of one of our iconic properties that now caters to employment of up to 400 employees at Belmond Cap Juluca and many more independent contractors.
Been given the responsibility of heading the Ministry of Tourism by the Chief Minister,I am overly proud of the collective efforts of my colleagues at the Ministry, the Anguilla Tourist Board, the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association, our public sector partners, government entities, the newly formed Anguilla Tourism Advisory Council and especially you the people of Anguilla who continues to work tirelessly on a daily basis that has afforded Anguilla in 2017 & 2018 to be rated no 1 island by the readers of Travel & Leisure for the Caribbean, Bermuda and Bahamas. Our recovery from the effects of hurricane Irma has been nothing short of remarkable. From the leadership that was shown by our Chief Minister Hon. Victor Banks and Governor Foy to the commitment of the rebuild by our private sector was the ideal vote of confidence that our tourism sector needed. There is a quote from the film “Fields of dreams” starring Kevin Costner which says “if you build it, they will come” That quote certainly relates to the first 4 months of the 2018/2019 tourism season as Anguilla has recorded the highest visitors arrivals since records began back in 1993.
In an effort to extend our tourism season we will continue to further invest in the South American market, namely Brazil, Argentina and Colombia who tends to travel more during their winter season which coincides with our summer or low season. The Anguilla Tourist Board is working in collaboration with French and Dutch St.Martin and Copa Airlines that will open up greater access opportunities to the South American Market.
Access has been one of our main challenges since American Eagle pulled out of Anguilla and Liat made the decision to take its fleet to the islands further south. The Government of Anguilla along with the support of our 5 star hotel properties has signed an agreement with Forecast Inc. with the purpose of having direct flights from mainland USA hopefully by the start of the next tourism season.
The Ministry of Tourism, The Governor’s office, AASPA, Customs, Immigration, Police and the ferry boat operators along with the French authorities in St.Martin are pushing forward in an effort to restore the late night ferry service out of Marigot that was popular years ago. This late night ferry service will be another opportunity for locals as well as visitors to transverse to and from St.Martin later at night.
Minister Evans Rogers and I were invited by former West Indies Cricket President “ Mr.Dave Cameron” to a fund raising dinner and a 20/20 cricket match Lords at the end of May 2018 between the West Indies team and a select world eleven in an effort to raise awareness and support in order to assist the rebuild of cricket stadia in the Caribbean that were damaged by Hurricane Irma and Maria including our very own James Ronald Webster Park. The Anguilla cricket Association stands to benefit to the tune of $200.000ec from the funding efforts.
It also gave us an opportunity to meet with Commonwealth Games Team England and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club that has started a youth training program here in Anguilla the first of its kind in the region for the benefit of trouble youth and a career in sports program.
Over the past 3 years the Anguilla Tourist Board, The Anguilla National Tennis Association along with the Ministry of Sports have introduced and supported the Anguilla Tennis Cup hosted at the Anguilla Tennis Academy which is an International Tennis Federation sanctioned tournament which enhances Sports Tourism as well an opportunity for the further development of youth tennis on Anguilla
Anguillan athletes have continued to make us all proud, locally, regionally and internationally despite some of the structural challenges faced at home. A number of our athletes have secured scholarships in cricket in England and track and field at colleges in the USA.
In 2015 The Ministry of Sports reached out to the Leewards and West Indies boards to have our cricketers who with no fault of their own was not given contracts to be part of the Leewards squad. Jahmar Hamilton and Montcin Hodge were reinstated and went on to represent the West Indies Senior team and the West Indies A team respectively.
Congratulations to Captain Charlie and Crew of the Real Deal in 2017 on winning the $50,000.00 on the 50th Anniversary of Anguilla cessation from St.Kitts in the round de island boat race.
Congratulations to Hassani Hennis on becoming the first Anguillian for winning the John T. Memorial bicycle race after 19 years of trying.
Congratulations to Shara Proctor and Zharnel Hughes for their continued success on the international scene.
Congratulations to Dee-ann Kentish Rogers on reaching the top 15 of the Ms. Universe pagent in 2018.
Congrats to all of you who are striving to be the best that you can be.
In closing I do believe the future prospects for our island home are positive but in order for us to achieve our full potential it is vital that we continue to work together.
May God continue to bless you and may God continue to bless Anguilla.
