The Anguilla Enhancement Project has designated the village of Rey Hill as the Most Enhanced Village for 2022. A brief ceremony was recently held in the village near the basketball court with a newly painted mural as the backdrop. The mural was presented as a delayed part of the 2022 prizes awarded to the village.
It was painted by renowned local artist, Carmel Gumbs, and depicts two spouted water cans, one left and one right, pouring water on flourishing vegetation. The words “Rey Hill Anguilla” are scribed across the predominantly blue background. The mural was sponsored by the American University of Anguilla.
“I received this inspiration for the painting from various elements of local greenery such as pigeon peas, corn, tomatoes, etc., as well as local flowers. The mural has symmetrical lines and colors that represent the ground from which the crops are grown, as well as the blue sky, and light which represents enhancement,” Gumbs said.
“The presence of the two water cans is meant for persons to interact with the mural, by pretending to be watering the vegetation. The mural is meant to be interactive,” he further explained.
President of the Anguilla Enhancement Project Mrs. Nakishma Rogers-Hull, moderated the ceremony.
“Today we celebrate the third installment of our mural map which will be soon launched,” she said. “We have chosen this area in Rey Hill, because it is the spot where most people meet in the village. Rey Hill registered for the Most Enhanced Village Competition, it passionately participated, and was judged as Most Enhanced.”
“We hope that as people gather here at the mural, they would enjoy the ambiance that its beauty affords, and they would take the opportunity to take pictures on these grounds for memories sake,” Mrs. Rogers-Hull said.
“This is the third village mural that we have inaugurated since our Enhancement Project began. We have installed our first mural in Island Harbour,” she noted, “and the second one was inaugurated last year in Shoal Bay. Both (of these two) villages had won Best Village Awards. Now this Rey Hill mural is awarded to this village in recognition of the Most Enhanced Village.”
The Honourable Representative for the Valley South Constituency, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers, also spoke at the ceremony.
Other persons present included Director of Tourism at the Anguilla Tourist Board Mrs. Stacey Liburd and staff member Mrs. Keri Rogers. The Anguilla Tourist Board was a collaborator in the project.
The representative for Rey Hill Community, Elvesa “Weezy” Liburd, was also on hand. She said she was proud of the Most Enhanced Village Award.
