Anguilla’s youngest parliamentarian, Mr. Jose Vanterpool, was in the Speaker’s Chair, for the first time in 2020, when the Anguilla House of Assembly took time off to address matters related to the coronavirus (COVID- 19), and to support the Health Authority in controlling its entry into the island.
Mr. Vanterpool, First Nominated Member and Deputy Speaker, was acting for the Speaker, Mr. Terry Harrigan, who is off island. Vanterpool, 24, said he was delighted to take the chair and was grateful to members of the House for the opportunity to serve. He used the occasion to lead congratulations to Mikiah Herbert-Harrigan, Anguilla’s phenomenonal basketball player in the United States, for her stellar performance; and to pay tribute to the recent passing of a number of Anguillian nationals.
Among the first matter he dealt with was to allow comments on the COVID-19 disease by Premier Victor Banks; Health Minister, Evans Rogers; and the Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Aisha Andrewin. Mr. Banks gave an overview of the disease and its impact in the major high risk countries, and its spread to other international and regional areas of the world.
Among other matters, Premier Banks told the House of Assembly: “The Government of Anguilla has been coordinating an inter-agency response to the virus with representatives from various public and private sector organisations. To date, the measures taken include the issuing of travel advisories; the introduction of port health screening for travelers from certain countries; and the quarantining of persons from high-risk locations.
Mr. José Vanterpool 
Dr. Aisha Andrewin
“In accordance with the World Health Organisation’s guidance, Anguilla has committed to enhancing the health system’s capacity to respond to the identification of an isolation facility; enhance disease surveillance; adopting case management and care guidance…; and additional emphasis on infection prevention and control.”
Dr. Andrewin reported on various matters about the virus on which she had previously advised the Anguillian public, and stressed the importance of basic hygienic practices to combat the community spreading of the virus.
Following those presentations, the House of Assembly resumed its regular sitting and the agenda for the day. The matters, before the House, included a number of Customs Duty and Tax Exemption Motions; a Bill for the Elections Act, 2020 (second and third readings); and a Bill for the Special Economic Zones Act, 2020 (first reading).
