Finally! The new Valley Main Road is open! After decades of enduring the rough and bumpy main road used to traverse the centre of the capital, at long last the road has been redeveloped. We are indeed grateful to all persons who made this possible – the Government of Anguilla, the technical staff in the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Governor’s Office and the United Kingdom Government. We appreciate the work of the contractors and all community members involved in some way in the project.
While the final product is smooth, the journey to the new road was not without its bumps. The first one was the controversy surrounding the removal of at least three iconic tamarind trees in the dead of night to facilitate the road works, despite vehement opposition from some members of the public – particularly those concerned with environmental and cultural preservation. The next was the public criticism and concern about the number of roundabouts being placed on the road and the fact that many people use the current ones incorrectly. In total from the end to end, the road will have five roundabouts. In recent weeks the concern has been the concrete barriers placed along the road in an effort to guide/ direct the traffic, with concerns being raised about accidents, usability and effect on emergency vehicles. The Honourable Minister, road engineers and designers, have taken a bashing on social media with regard to the latter in particular. Many people believe the road is overdesigned and confusing – and since the opening there have already been quite a few mishaps. Social media is rife with memes and videos of the difficulties being encountered in the use of the new road.
Despite the challenges though, we must appreciate that this is a notable accomplishment and a definite improvement over what existed before. We have had Government after Government elected to office but this main road has never before been considered a priority. Additionally, it is commendable that following its damage by Hurricane Irma the People’s Market has also been renovated for use in selling local fish and agricultural produce. I am hopeful that persons setting up stalls along the roadsides for this purpose, will be encouraged to relocate to the market. It would be a shame if it is not used as intended.
This road development is one of the most significant accomplishments of the APM Government, to date, which does not appear to be attributable to the efforts of the previous AUF administration. They deserve to be applauded. The Honourable Minister of Infrastructure, Mr Haydn Hughes, has alluded to the fact that there are many more infrastructure development projects in the pipeline. Anguilla is in desperate need of an infrastructure overhaul, and we are grateful for the recent injection of funds by the British Government, over the last five years, that has enabled the redevelopment of schools, health facilities, the Blowing Point Port and the like. We look forward eagerly to the realisation of many other projects especially the airport development project.
I am concerned, however, that in the Minister’s list of upcoming projects several seem concentrated in the Road South constituency. I must remind Minister Hughes – that though elected by the people of Road South – as Minister of Infrastructure his responsibility is for the development of all of Anguilla. One of the drawbacks of the constituency system is that elected representatives tend to feel obligated to prioritise constituency needs over national needs, and Government resources can easily be directed to fulfilling constituency promises – instead of towards overall national development priorities.
Nonetheless, I am hopeful that with the new Valley Main Road completed, and the airport road currently under construction, that Government will maintain the momentum and that we will see the delivery of several other key infrastructure projects. We’re on the road – let’s keep going.
