Local News

The energy and enthusiasm was palpable at Une Amore Café as the young Optimists of the three Junior Optimist Octagon International (JOOI) clubs gathered for their joint induction and installation ceremony on Saturday 10 November 2007. The induction of new members and installation of the boards of the three clubs was immediately followed by a pizza party and lots of fun and bonding.

Flag Luxury Properties (Anguilla) LLC which has had St. Regis as its Managing Operator for its Temenos Anguilla Resort and Residences, is soon to announce a new company to handle its operations.

A small wooden house has been completely destroyed by fire in the Cauls Bottom area despite the valiant efforts of officers from the Wallblake-based Anguilla Fire Service.

In their regular press briefing on Wednesday, the Anguilla Police stated that during the past week there were three burglary reports. They occurred in Sandy Ground, Island Harbour and East End.

“The investment climate in Anguilla has never been better for entrepreneurs,” says Carl Harrigan, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Member of the Board of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB).

A number of persons in Anguilla have been expressing pleasure at seeing Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming back on the island and at work, after spending several weeks in the United States on holiday and for his annual medical check-up.

Rotary Club of Anguilla, a very active community based organization, met for their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, November 1 at 6:30 pm. The Upper Level Night Club was elegantly prepped for the ceremony with programmes neatly laid out among the cutlery provided for the dinner that would take place shortly after the meeting was called to order. Mr. Seymour Hodge, President of the Rotary Club, along with Dr. Louis Bardfield, Sergeant-at-Arms, greeted the invitees and other Rotary members.

Anguilla’s growth and development before and since its revolution was made possible by the many pioneers that dedicated their lives to the betterment of the island and its people. Even today, this island nation has current heroes and pioneers trying to make a positive impact. Louis Price is one of these people deserving of some recognition for the strides he has been making for the past seven years with his dream to build Anguilla’s first recreational facility.

Chairman of the Anguilla Tourist Board, John Benjamin, says one of the things the island should be proud about is that all the players in the tourism industry are working as a unit to promote Anguilla as an upmarket destination, something he wanted from the outset of his appointment.

Between 2010 and 2015, the current 1,200 hotel rooms in Anguilla may increase to about 3,000 requiring some 9, 000 additional workers, given the speed at which the island is developing. Two problems are emerging: where these employees will come from, and where they will be accommodated.

Johnno’s Beach Bar & Restaurant at Road Bay, Sandy Ground, pumps out smooth jazz rhythms every Sunday with many fans in attendance for the fast-becoming popular music in Anguilla. Last Sunday, October 28, there appeared to have been a special feeling in the air as guests, Anguillians and visitors alike, contemplated on the coming Tranquility Jazz Festival to be held during the period November 8- 11. For many of them, it was a foretaste of the upcoming event.

The commencement of the tourist season is a time when we especially welcome visitors to the warmth, friendship and beauty of our island home, Anguilla. With the re-opening of our up-market hotels, guest houses, villas, restaurants and other places of accommodation and service, a number of our repeat as well as new visitors have already begun arriving on our shores.

Many senior citizens in Anguilla and neighbouring French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten, may long remember the time they spent together as they observed the Month of The Elderly (October) with a series of activities.

There has been a decrease in the number of burglaries and thefts which had been plaguing business places and individuals in Anguilla for several weeks.

Anguillians are urged to be vigilant as the number of cases involving illegal persons on the island are increasing. Recently there have been a number of crimes. While no specific set of persons have been singled out or named as the focus of these investigations the community is being asked to report any suspicious persons and/or activities to the necessary authorities.

Nine Anguillian students have successfully completed a ten-week Savings and Investment Basics Course which is open to persons of all disciplines between the ages of 18 and 65 years.

It was a sorry sight to see that at some time during the week before last a reckless act of vandalism had reduced Anguilla’s new Marine Park signs in Little Bay to no more than an eye-sore.

Flag Luxury Properties Anguilla and Temenos Golf Club, Cable and Wireless Anguilla and the Anguilla Development Board have all made large contributions this week to the second annual Festival De Noel. Jerome Roberts from the East End Community Committee, and his assistant Lisa Webster, accepted the numerous cheques and were quite grateful for the overwhelming support they have received thus far.

The Environmental Health Unit (EHU) climaxed a month-long Vector Awareness Programme with a closing ceremony and the distribution of awards to winners of various competitions.

Their ears itching for information about their invested funds, a number of shareholders in the National Investment Company of Anguilla (NICA), attended a meeting called by the Board but were disappointed by its postponement although the reason was clear. They were told that the meeting, at the Stoney Ground School Auditorium on Monday afternoon, October 22, lacked a quorum and therefore under the company’s by-laws could not be held.