Local News

Anguilla is in a crisis morally, politically, financially and constitutionally to name of a couple of the problems.

As Anguilla observed Drug Awareness Month, two local campaigners, Sergeant Chrispen Gumbs, of the Royal Anguilla Police Force, and Senior Psychiatric Nurse, Monique Rey, have warned both parents and children about the effects of harmful drugs.

Construction work on the main building of the Anguilla Tennis Academy will begin on June 7. It will be carried out by noted builder, Jeff Richardson of South Hill. This follows the presentation of the initial cheque to the contractor and signing of the contract on May 20 at the six-acre site at Blowing Point.

One of the main social events on the calendar of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School is the Annual Honour Roll Cocktail Celebration for deserving students who have shown high performance in various aspects of the life of the school.

In August 2001, Natalia Lake of North Hill Anguilla embarked on a what would be a challenging though very exciting and educational journey, as she set forth to pursue a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Finance at the Barry University – Andreas School of Business in Miami, Florida.

Plans are under consideration in Anguilla for the establishment of a Joint Fire Service with domestic and airport components. The aim is to create a new Government department and to identify its organisational structure, staffing requirements and training needs.

After almost five and a half years of service to Anguilla, advertisers and subscribers everywhere, The Anguillian has begun a process of change aimed at enhancing its image and meeting the demands of the times.

On Wednesday and Thursday this week Anguilla hosted a Regional Council Meeting of the Caribbean Association of Medical Technologists.

Chief Minister and Minister of Tourism, Osbourne Fleming, says the 2003/2004 tourism season is one of the best Anguilla has ever had. “I say this because at present we are in the month of May and the record will show that most of our tourism properties are registering at 70 percent average occupancy,” he told the local media. “I got this information from a group of travel agents whom our Tourist Board brought here to look at Anguilla. Normally this time of the year is a very slow period. There is no question that our efforts to having the tourism season expanded through April are working.”

A call has been made by Chief Minister and Minister of Labour, Osbourne Fleming, for a return to the days when employees in the public and private sectors were more committed to service.

As reported last week, Chairman of the Anguilla Tourist Board, John Benjamin, who recently returned from the CTO conference in Cuba, has been speaking about various matters such as balancing development and the environment, protecting coastal areas and up-market tourism, the way Anguilla should continue to go.

A second batch of ten travel agents from the United States visited Anguilla for four days between late last week and Monday this week.

A considerable amount of work has already been completed on the designing of a number of costumes to be worn by school children in a parade on July 31 as part of the Summer Festival. An exhibition of the work completed so far was held at Campus B on Monday this week.

A second public meeting at St. Andrew’s Church Hall at Island Harbour has shown that the people in the eastern areas of Anguilla are taking a keen interest in the delivery of health services at the Welches Polyclinic.

Anguilla is the host island for the current 44th National Organisation Membership Mid-Year Meeting of the West Indies Junior Chamber of Jaycees.

A fenced area of the beach just east of the pool bar at CuisinArt Resort & Spa is protecting the nest of a leatherback turtle which laid its eggs there on April 26.
Allan Morson, Beach, Sports and Pool Manager, said the nesting of the turtle “is quite an education for the employees, management and guests at the hotel.” An active member of the Anguilla National Trust, he pointed to the fact that the laying of the eggs is no mean feat as it takes the female turtle 25-30 years to mature and reproduce.

The Anguilla Tourist Board and its newly-appointed Marketing Director in the United States, Marie Walker, have embarked on a very ambitious programme of increasing occupancy levels in Anguilla from 45 to 65 percent. Director of Tourism, Amelia Vanterpool-Kubisch, alluded to this earlier in the week at a breakfast press briefing with a group of US travel agents at Tasty’s Café. She stated that one of the initiatives was a Travel Agents Tour Programme which was being referred to as The Alluring Anguilla Experience. It is hoped that through this effort the agents brought to the island would find it to be beyond their expectations and would be able to better sell the destination and subscribe to the new brand for Anguilla – Feeling is Believing.

After more than 20 years as a member of the Anguilla United Movement, which has been in Government twice and is now in opposition, Albert Hughes of West End, has resigned from the party. He has accused the Executive of casting him aside for another candidate in next year’s elections and vows he will contest the seat for the last time because his people would like him to represent them again. But in a letter the party’s executive has swiftly rebuked him for his claims.

Anne Edwards, who has 29 years of outstanding service in the field of education, went on pre-retirement leave this week, her last post being Deputy Principal at Campus B at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School.

General Manager of Malliouhana Hotel and Spa, Nigel Roydon, says the winter season has been a great improvement over the previous one and that his resort, like others, continues to fare very well.