News

Anguilla’s Chief Minister, the Honourable Osbourne Fleming, who underwent a kidney transplant operation at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida, on July 19, is hopeful that he will be in a position to return home and to resume his official duties in the near future.

The Publisher/Editor of The Anguillian writes to advise all of our online readers that due to the intervening holidays, The Anguillian will not be published on Friday, August 11.

As a result, our online service will not be available on that date.
Thanks for your continuing support and interest.

A. Nat Hodge MBE,
Publisher/Editor

Anguilla, which is striving to develop the offshore financial business as a second industry, is playing it safe by ensuring that all necessary steps are taken to keep the island’s reputation crime-free and above reproach. A number of specially-designed laws, some probably thought to be quite rigid, have already been put into place and there are other ongoing activities related to due diligence and compliance.

There is reason for considerable pride that another Anguillian has assumed the post of Senior Dental Surgeon on the island. He is Dr. Lindel Brooks, DDS, who has succeeded Dr. Collen Mussington, the first national and female dentist to hold the appointment. Dr. Brooks, who is already on the job, has expressed thanks to her for her kindness and cooperation in assisting him in taking charge of the Dental Unit. Dr. Mussington, daughter of Stanley and Loma Mussington, will now be furthering her studies.

Minister of Social Development, Evans Rogers, said on July 24, that the Anguilla Government was seeking to develop a National Plan to improve care and protection of children with particular focus on child abuse. He was at the time addressing a one-day workshop sponsored by the Anguilla Government in collaboration with the Child Protection Programme of the National Children’s Home in the United Kingdom, the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

Anguilla’s tourism representatives around the world held their annual meeting on the island this week to put forward their projections for 2007 and to evaluate their activities for the remainder of this year.

This year, the Children’s Parade, part of the Summer Festival activities, will have as its theme Just Say No. It is a call for persons in Anguilla to refrain from certain behavioural patterns which are not in the best interest of the island or their own wellbeing.

Ms. Arjul Wilson has been selected to succeed Mr. Stanley Reid as Permanent Secretary, Public Administration. Ms. Wilson took up her appointment on Monday July 24. She is the second woman in Anguilla’s history to be appointed to the post of Permanent Secretary.

An Anguilla Government pier development contract awarded to Eghill & Associates of Barbados has begun at Road Bay and thereafter will continue at Blowing Point. The combined project involves an expenditure of three million US dollars being provided from local capital funds.

Anguilla’s Chief Minister, Osbourne Fleming, underwent kidney surgery on Wednesday, July 19, at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida.

Officers from Royal Anguilla Police Service CID, Criminal Intelligence Dept and Drugs and Guns Taskforce undertook a large scale joint search operation, with colleagues from Anguilla Customs Department, on Tuesday afternoon at Road Bay Port. They were joined by a number officers from the British Virgin Islands Customs, including their drugs dog team, which was flown in to provide extra staff to assist with the search.

Following his arrival in Anguilla on Friday, July 7, newly-appointed Governor, His Excellency Andrew George, was sworn in on Monday, July 10, at the Atlin Harrigan OBE Parliamentary Building. The oaths were administered by High Court Judge Justice Janice George-Creque after Attorney General Ronald Scipio read the instruments of appointment.

The Hon. Stanley Everton Reid, the first Anguillian Deputy Governor, says he is looking forward to receiving a high level of support from the various sectors of the society as he embarks on his “new voyage of service to the people of Anguilla.”
He made the statement on Tuesday, July 10, shortly after been sworn in by Governor Andrew George at the Governor’s Office at Old Ta.

Whether it was in the great ballrooms of the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Long Island, New York, or at the marketplace, Anguillian nationals were seen everywhere at the Anguilla, Nevis and St. Kitts Associations Reunion (ANSAR) during the period June 30 to July 2. They are all a group of role models and doing very well.
Marketplace was where all the nationals crowded to sell and buy craft items, food and drink reminiscent of home life.

This year, six highly-motivated young ladies are vying for the coveted Miss CCB Teen Pageant title. Five of them were presented to the local media on Tuesday, July 4, at the English Rose Restaurant.

Two nationals of Anguilla, Dr. Oluwakemi M. Linda Banks and Nathaniel (Nat) Hodge, MBE, were among eight persons honoured at the Long Island Marriott Hotel and Conference Center at Uniondale, New York. The awardees were recognised for having “rendered immeasurable contribution, service and credit to the cause of country and humanity by their personal efforts, commitment, dedication and achievements.”

On Wednesday morning, June 28, the National Culinary Team of Anguilla topped the list of winners of the Silver Medal in the 2006 Taste of the Caribbean competition held at the Hyatt Regency in Miami the evening before.

The commissioning of a special Chemistry Analyser at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Anguilla on Tuesday, June 20, has given the institution the capacity to perform tests and treatment never possible before in its history.

The National Bank of Anguilla will again be hosting its Peter Perkins Memorial Boat Race and Fun Day Village Games.

Aside from the academic studies, the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School in Anguilla is offering pre-vocational training for students in such subject areas like expressive arts, music, creative arts, arts and craft, industrial arts, home economics and hotel trades. The aim is to prepare the students for further training in technical and vocational areas in line with their career goals. The Ministry of Education is now busily preparing for the next stage and that is the establishment of a National Community College.