Local News

The Anguilla Government has advised the Secretary of State in London not to proceed with two amendments to the island’s constitution ahead of the wider changes which have been proposed by the Constitutional Reform Commission headed by retired Judge, Don Mitchell.

As the Royal Anguilla Police Force celebrates its 35th Anniversary, Governor Andrew George has commended its members for the good job they did during last year when, especially in the early months, there were a number of violent incidents.

A large portion of the address by Anguilla’s Commissioner of Police, Keithly Benjamin, opening a week of activities marketing the 35th Anniversary of the police force, related to the handling of crime over the past year.

Executive Director of the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Calvin Bartlett, has painted a rose picture of the private sector organisation, which he says is making a great impact on the business and economic life of the island and attracting the attention of other organisations near and far.

Roman Catholic Priest of St. Gerard’s Church, Fr. Ed Herberger, left Anguilla on Tuesday this week to return to Chicago, after some ten years on the island and overwhelmed by its rapid economic growth during that period.

The National Bank of Anguilla has been ranked number one business in Anguilla for the second time. It is the result of the annual business survey undertaken by Melinda Goddard, Principal of Clientell Consulting, LLC , in partnership with the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Speaker of the Anguilla House of Assembly, the Hon. David Carty, has been invited to Washington DC to attend the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, February 1.The invitation on behalf of the US Congress, was received from Congress members Jo Ann Davis and Emanuel Cleaver II.

The Department of Information and Broadcasting (Radio Anguilla) has launched an information channel facilitated by Caribbean Cable Communications. The service was inaugurated on Tuesday, January 30.

The three branches of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Anguilla have made a sizeable contribution to Vera Harrigan and her two young children, victims of a disastrous fire on Sunday, January 21.

There is still much excitement in the air as the story of how the Police beat the Stoney Ground Warriors is being retold. It was one of the most challenging and well-fought Domino Competition finals, part of a series of week-long activities commemorating the 35th Anniversary of the Royal Anguilla Police Force.

The Philatelic Bureau of the General Post Office in Anguilla released two postage stamps on Monday, January 29, its first issue for 2007, in honour of the Soroptimist Club. One of the stamps, valued at $1.90, recognises the contribution of the organisation to the island’s social development over the past 25 years.

Last week the fishermen cast off the moorings and chased the big fish because the sea went almost dead calm. The ocean conditions could have only been described as smooth, cloudless, bright and colorful with an early migrating whale in the very deep water, about 16 miles to the east of Anguilla. In these sea conditions the fish almost always bite possibly because they can easily see the bait due to the smooth ocean surface and extraordinary sunlight penetrating the water.

There has been much talk in Anguilla over the past several days following the laying off of 53 Dominican Republic construction workers who have been employed on the Temenos-St. Regis Retreat and Golf Club project. They were released from their jobs on Friday, January 19, as a number of Chinese nationals took up employment there.

Three members of a family, in Anguilla, have lost their home and everything they possessed to a fire despite the swift action of fire and police personnel.
Vera Harrigan, who sustained burns on her face, arms and legs as she made her escape from the flames, was living in the two-bedroom apartment with her two young children, a boy and a girl Devaune and Didricke Mussington.

The following is a press release issued by the Government of Anguilla on Tuesday, January 23.

Over the past two years, the Anguilla Government constructed a number of houses for various persons occasioned by their displacement from the precincts of Wallblake Airport to facilitate its extension. The last two are now under construction. There has been a change in Government’s policy whereby money is being provided for other persons in compensation for their land and to build their own houses. There have also been cases of exchange of land for housing.

The Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation (AARF) is on a membership drive to increase its effectiveness on the island. On Monday this week, Gayle Gurvey and Helen Richardson mounted a booth in the lobby of the General Post Office aimed at signing up new members and getting existing members to pay their dues. They also sold specially-printed AARF t-shirts.

Life. Passion. Football. Valencia Cox, and her guest, experienced first hand the passion and excitement of the Digicel Caribbean Cup Finals in Trinidad & Tobago. Ms. Cox, a Digicel customer was the winner of an all expenses paid trip for herself and her companion to witness Trinidad & Tobago square off with Haiti to determine Caribbean Football supremacy.

Founder of the Anguilla Pocket Billiards Association, Eric Hughes, is making steady progress in promoting the sport on the island and he is also doing well in matches in the United States.

The Education Department of Anguilla was, this week, the recipient of 1000 water bottles from the Anguilla Social Security Board. This donation promoting the theme “ The Future Is Yours. READ, READ, READ!” is in support of Reading within the primary schools.