Anguilla has paid and continues to pay, a high price for being COVID-19-free by early securing its borders and taking other precautions to prevent the community spread of the virus.
It is understood that over the past months, since March 20, 2020, that the Government of Anguilla has spent some 800,000 EC dollars paying for air and sea patrols of all of the island’s borders. This has been particularly so at the south-east to south-west borders to ward off intruders from the neighbouring French and Dutch territories. A main precaution also is the continued stoppage of the ferryboat service.
With the first amount of funds provided by the UK Government, now being depleted, Governor Tim Foy, OBE, has disclosed that an additional grant had again been made available for border patrols and other security services.
“The UK Government has just agreed a further 450,000 US dollars to allow us to maintain the security around the island,” he disclosed. “We now have replenishments to take us through at least the end of October. That is another boost that will allow us to continue to employ Special Constables. That’s great. They are doing a fantastic job. It will also allow for boat patrols which have been working [as well as aircraft patrols when needed].”
The Governor stressed that Anguilla’s biggest threat was illegal entry, adding: “We can quarantine people with the protocols which are very effective. But, if people are coming in illegally, that’s a huge risk which we cannot take.”
