Local News

For an entire week beginning Monday, September 24, Anguilla was received by Canadian travellers, travel agents, and the Canadian press corp with open arms.

The Anguillian recently visited the Temenos Golf Course to inquire about preparations being made for the up and coming tourist season. In speaking with the staff of Troon Golf, led by PGA Professional Dana Schmid (Director of Golf) and PGA Professional Hale Kelley as the Head Golf Pro, it is evident that guest services are being enhanced in every category. The most important addition to this season will be the new golf range.

In a ceremony held on the grounds of the Post Office on Tuesday, October 2 at 10 a.m., the 2007 Country Poverty Assessment was launched. Sanford Richardson, chairman of the ceremony, introduced the various speakers and presenters while providing his own colourful remarks and famous quotes that dealt directly with poverty based themes.

The Anguilla Circuit of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court is now sitting in its criminal jurisdiction this month, October.

The Honourable Chief Minister Osbourne B. Fleming responded to a call at 7:00am Sunday Morning, September 30th, 2007, made by the West End Concerned Group. Upon his arrival he was alarmed and dismayed to notice that someone had dug a circular hole some 4 feet in depth and 10 ft in diameter and used it for a fire pit right on the beach some 20 feet from the water’s edge.

Various representatives of the civil service attended a workshop this week to discuss issues dealing with labour in Anguilla. The workshop started on Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m. at the Teacher’s Resource Centre Auditorium. Ensor Gumbs, Principal Assistant Secretary in the Chief Minster’s Office, chaired the opening ceremony in which the members of the head table were Franklyn Richardson (Hotel and Allied Workers Union), Calvin Bartlett (ACOCI), Samuel Goolsaran (Workshop Facilitator), Russel Reid (Labour Commissioner) and Foster Rogers, Permanent Secretary from the CMO.

In a tremendous display of community action by the youth, the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School Literary and Debating Society has once again conducted a beach clean-up.

An injunction won by Barnes Bay Development Ltd over Caribbean Properties Ltd. has brought about the temporary closure of Dolphin Discovery at Meads Bay, a facility which has been attracting many day trippers from St. Maarten.

One of the most respected Principals of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School in Anguilla in the 1990s, Merritt Lake, was back on the island this week on another in a frequent series of family-reunion visits.

The Anguilla Methodist Circuit will be having a series of evangelical services to be held 7.30 pm nightly at the Bethel Methodist Church – South Hill – from Oct. 7 to the 14th (excluding Saturday). The event is being staged under the name “THE LIVING WATER” GOSPEL CRUSADE. During the weekdays it is also planned to have Daily Lunch Hour Bible Study Fellowship which will be held at the Ebenezer Methodist Church, The Valley,from 12.15 to 12. 45 pm.

Mr. Leroy Hill, President of the Teacher’s Union and a teacher at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School, invited Jason Allen, a journalist for The Anguillian to be a guest speaker. Mr. Hill is intimately involved with The Journal, which is a monthly publication done by the journal team that is comprised of students and teachers. (Mr. Allen and Mr. Hill recently worked together during a workshop held in Antigua concerning child abuse.)

Although there has been a lull in the crime rate, lawmen in Anguilla found themselves over the past week dealing with a spate of burglaries, thefts and drug offences on the island.

The Ministry of Immigration in an effort to keep the general public informed on immigration issues will now be issuing press releases on a regular basis regarding any relevant matters and other areas affecting National Security.

Anguilla is the seat of the just opened Regional Law Revision Centre Inc which initially is to serve this island and two other British Overseas Territories – Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

These photos, taken on Monday, October 1, show attempts that were made to clear a section of the Long Ground Road of a truck which overturned there sometime after 5 pm.

A meeting was held at Carillion on Wednesday in regards to the Indian labour strike at the Viceroy Project. Attending were representatives from the Ministry and Departments of Labour and Immigration, Royal Anguilla Police Service, the Government Liaison Officer, Carillion and four workers representing the Indian workforce - Avshesh Kumar, Roop Narayan, Adalat, and Kunna Maharana.

After much preparation and publicity over the years, the Regional Law Revision Centre Inc, has at last come to fruition in Anguilla with the official opening arranged for Friday, September 28 at 4.00 p.m. Included in the ceremonial programme has been an address by Anguilla’s Chief Mnister, Osbourne Fleming, and the cutting of the ribbon by him along with other officials from the UK, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Community College Development Unit is making great strides in training large numbers of young Anguillians in the hospitality industry, the first element of a general education programme.

There has been a lull in major criminal activity in Anguilla after the serious incidents of shooting and murder in August. In reporting this to media representatives, Superintendent Proctor hoped that this fall off in crime would continue to the relief of everyone.

When you read Commander Mike Utley’s résumé you cannot help but be impressed. The Commanding Officer of HMS Portland, the Royal Navy ship visiting Anguilla this week, described by crew as akin to ‘Star Trek’, is obviously a high flyer. ‘I’ve been lucky,’ the man affectionately known as ‘Father’ on board says. ‘I’ve had some fantastic opportunities.’