News

Farmers in Anguilla breathed a sigh of relief on Wednesday, January 18, when two tractors and arrange of equipment were handed over by the Governor’s Office and the Anguilla Government.

Anyone visiting or passing through the Passenger Ferry Terminal at Blowing Point will like what they see: a security facility to protect the Anguillian homeland as well as to upgrade and beautify the port. There has been a 30-foot extension to the building providing two wide walkways for passengers approaching the attractive Immigration and Customs counters and there is also a walk through detection scanner and alarm system.

As more and more people continue to fly direct to Anguilla on private executive jets from the United States, Europe and even far away places like Russia, the parking space at Wallblake Airport has become a matter to think about.

I wish to extend a prosperous and happy new year to everyone living within as well as without the boundaries of Anguilla. Firstly, I must express my gratitude to the Almighty for bringing us into a good land. I am delighted that even our critics are now applauding the dawning of this new day in Anguilla.

The Christmas Season is here again and there is much activity throughout Anguilla. Of particular note is the special festive lighting and effigies of the Nativity.

The Anguilla Government will set up a new Constitutional and Electoral Reform Commission to start work early in 2006. Governor Alan Huckle is now consulting members of the Opposition and representatives of non-governmental organisations about the membership of the commission.

A Government Budget of EC$139.46 million to finance the island’s public services during 2006 has been introduced in the Anguilla House of Assembly, which carries the formal name of the Atlin Harrigan OBE Parliamentary Building.

Young Anguillians have been told to take advantage of the many opportunities now available to them to educate themselves in preparation for the top jobs on the island. This was the central theme of the debate in the House of Assembly on December 2 when the Caribbean Examinations Bill, 2005 was introduced by Minister of Social Development, Evans Rogers.

The Government’s Budget, setting out the Estimates of Recurrent Revenue and Expenditure for 2006, is being finalised for presentation in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, December 13. On that day, the Budget Address will be presented at 3.00 p.m. by Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Victor Banks.

Anguilla’s Chief Minister, the Honourable Osbourne Fleming, says that aside from his secular duties, he is on a new mission “to win souls for Christ.”

There appears to be a few areas of concern over the new zoning taxi rates announced by Government last week.

The new Governor of Anguilla in succession to His Excellency Alan Huckle, is Andrew Neil George who will be taking up his appointment in mid next year.

Anguillian educator, Dulcie Richardson, formerly Connor, celebrated her 70th Birthday with a Thanksgiving Service at Bethel Methodist Church and a dinner at the Anguilla Great House on Saturday, November 26.

A new structure of taxi rates went into effect in Anguilla on Wednesday, November 23.

An American businessman, who has been a visitor to Anguilla since in the 1980s and fell in love with the island and its people, has now become a developer of this growing tourism paradise.

Unlike the past two years fair weather, under a beautiful moonlit sky, provided an excellent setting for the first four evenings of the Tranquility Jazz Festival, in Anguilla, which jump-started the 2005-2006 tourism season last week. These four evenings were the opening of the festival at Paradise Cove Resort on Wednesday, November 9, with a cocktail and welcome reception; the dinner and jazz concert at CuisinArt Resort and the performances on the Parking Lot at the National Bank of Anguilla and at Rumza on Thursday, Friday and Saturday respectively.

It is not known how many high profile persons were among the many visitors who flocked to Anguilla for the Tranquility Jazz Festival. However, The Anguillian’s attention was drawn to one of them as he sat dining and chatting away with a number of his accompanying friends at Johnno’s Beach Bar at Sandy Ground.

It is now the second week since the start of the 2005/2006 tourist season and the reopening of Anguilla’s classy hotels, famed restaurants, other accommodation facilities and guest services which continue to attract, delight and pamper our visitors season after season.

The 2nd Biennial National Development Conference opened at the Teachers’ Resource Centre in Anguilla on Wednesday, November 9, under the theme Empowerment of a People. A large number of persons, representing various sections of the public and private sectors, many of them being special invitees and commentators, turned up for the opening ceremony and first session of the conference.

The well-renowned Heritage Collection Museum, under the curatorship of Colville Petty, OBE, an authority on Anguilla’s history, has reopened for business after its annual two-month break. Located in East End, next to the East End Pond Bird Sanctuary, its opening hours are: 10.00 am to 5.00 pm – Monday to Saturday.
Heritage Collection provides a stimulating insight into the Anguilla of old.