(represented by her sister Juliette)
(represented by his widow Mrs. Gumbs)
(represented by his daughter Colleen)
The month-long series of events, marking the 46th Anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution, climaxed on Anguilla Day, Thursday, May 30, with celebrations at three main venues: the Ronald Webster Park with the customary Official Parade and Presentation of Awards; the Round-the-Island Boat Race from Road Bay, accompanied by hundreds of fans and revellers on two crowded barges – Mutty’s Pride and Captain Chrissy – and the Senior Citizens Luncheon at Blue Ridge Convention Centre, South Hill.
All the special series of events, from start to finish, were aimed at – as the Anguilla Day sloganstated – mixing the Past, Present and Future to commemorate the 46th Anniversary of the island’s Revolution. The parade, comprising uniformed contingents from the Royal Anguilla Police Force, Her Majesty’s Prison, Scouts , Cub Scouts, Guides, Brownies and Pathfinders, was smaller than in previous years, but nevertheless was both resplendent and impressive. The Royal Salute was taken by the Hon. Chief Minister Hubert Hughes, who inspected the parade and His Excellency the Governor, Alistair Harrison, who accompanied him on the dais.
The Governor, who will be leaving Anguilla in seven weeks’ time, at the end of his appointment, expressed pleasure in having attended five Anguilla Day celebrations. He traced part of Anguilla’s modern history, mentioning the varied struggles and achievements of theAnguillian people. “What the island enjoys today is worth celebrating – politically, a separate status as a British Overseas Territory and the guarantee that either that continuing status or independenceis available depending on the clearly-expressed wish of the people of Anguilla,” he said, citing one the examples. Mr. Harrison also spoke about the island’s economic situationand stated that there were many reasons to look to the future with optimism.
Chief Minister Hughes was of the view that there was a need to re-activate the aims of the Anguilla Revolution and called for a re-uniting of Anguillians. “We are divided as a people and therefore the Revolution has to be reactivated,” he declared. “There must be a new Revolution for Anguilla if we are to go back on the path that Ronald Webster set for self-determination.”
Opposition Leader, Evans M. Rogers, said every year Anguillians should be moving closer towards achieving the goal set by their forebears to build a nation proud, strong and free. He was grateful to many persons in the Anguillian diaspora who, having left their homeland, were continuing to contribute to national development. He included in that diaspora Mr Ronald Webster who returned to Anguilla early in the 1960s and whose contribution earned him the right to be called “Father of the Nation”.
Nine Anguillians, who remained at home, were honoured for their contributions to the Anguilla Revolution or the social development of the island. They were Florel Harrigan, Evelyn Roper, Eugene Fleming, Claude Richardson, Susan Harrigan, Alfred Gumbs (dec), Charles Horsford (dec), Keith Gumbs and Trevor Davis.
