The damage to the external area of the roof of the Atlin Noraldo Parliamentary Building, by Hurricane Irma in 2017, is clearly seen with portions ripped off but covered with tarpaulin.
On the inside, the covering of the roof is gone, exposing the bare rafters and presenting an even grimmer spectacle.
To add to that situation, all of the once attractive seating for both sides of Government and Opposition and the public galleries, the Speaker’s Desk, floor carpet and the curtains, have all been removed or stacked up leaving an empty, expansive and dreary space.
As a result of the disrepair and dysfunction of the building, the House of Assembly continues to be accommodated at the Magistrate’s Court where the space is tight – and members sit around one common circular desk. Although meetings of the House do not usually attract large crowds, except on special events, the seating space for members of the public at the Magistrate’s Court is also limited.
The House of Assembly, or Parliamentary Building, is one of the public sector projects to be funded under the Anguilla Programme from the sixty million pounds humanitarian grant provided by the UK Government. Arrangements are already in hand for the necessary repair and upgrading work to commence shortly.
