Local News

The annual Soroptimist Christmas Fair held in the gardens of Government House last Saturday attracted more than 400 persons. There were many stalls with attractive crafts, art, toys, gifts, plants, cakes, books and many other items.

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.”

Delta Petroleum (Anguilla) Limited has donated US$700 to the Anguilla Cricket Association towards the hosting of this weekend’s match Trinidad vs the Leewards to be played at the Ronald Webster Park.

Recently-retired Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minister’s Office, Lana Hoyoung, has been commended for her contribution to a greater awareness of human rights in Anguilla, particularly in the area of gender relations.

The Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be staging a grand shopping event in the courtyard of the Caribbean Commercial Complex on Saturday and Sunday, December 9th and 10th respectively. It will give persons an opportunity to shop all day, until well into the evening, and to enjoy such events as a fashion show and carol singing. The official opening will be at 11 o’clock on Saturday morning.

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

Efforts are underway in Anguilla to build partnerships to end domestic violence against women. This is the joint vision of the Family Hope Network, an active organisation on the island, and the Unit of Human Rights and Gender Affairs in the Chief Minister’s Office.

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.

The Optimist Club of Anguilla has described its Third Annual Race Against AIDS as a success. The event, on Sunday, November 27, saw participants from Anguilla, Antigua, St. Martin, St. Barths, Nevis, Mexico and Sweden.

Kishma Connor of South Hill is the winner of the seventh raffle held by the National Bank of Anguilla as part of its celebrations making its 20th Anniversary. She won a Sony Stereo Set 400. The raffle was drawn in the bank’s lobby on Friday, November 25.

Cable and Wireless will be the main sponsor of the Valley Community Christmas Tree Lighting event for the next five years, making an annual contribution of EC$ 53,000. This was announced at a press briefing on Tuesday, November 29, by the company’s Chief Executive, Sutcliffe Hodge.

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.

Throughout the day on Saturday, November 26, the Caribbean Commercial Centre was the scene of much colour, flags, culture, a variety of foods, art and craft displays and music.

Efforts are underway in Anguilla and other Caribbean islands to establish a robust national and regional communications network for emergencies.The necessary equipment is being provided by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA). It is in this connection that a two-day training workshop was held in Anguilla on Monday and Tuesday this week.

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.

Dwight Liburd of Rey Hill, Anguilla, is serving a total of twelve years imprisonment after he was found guilty in the High Court of a shooting incident on March 19, 2004, at the Coronation Ball Park in The Valley.

The first round of town hall meetings on the proposed tourism developments at Altamer Resort at West End and Savannah Bay at the eastern end of the island has now been completed.

Anguilla was among many regional and international countries represented at World Travel Market in London over the past several days, all advertising their goods and services in competition in the tourism market.