MAPPING OUT ANGUILLA'S FUTURE Chamber Takes Hard Look Ahead

The Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which at last appears to be making its voice heard, may soon achieve some substantial inroads into the island’s economic development. Motivated by an active Board of Directors and a hard-working Executive Director, chamber body, through its new Business Development Centre, is taking a hard look ahead. It is examining ways and means in which it may help in the continuing effort in moving the island forward and training its entrepreneurs and other people to meet the coming challenges.

The Chamber is developing links with other business organisations abroad, attracting investors and establishing training programmes for Anguillians with such institutions as the University of St. Maarten. One of the upcoming activities is a two-part QuickBooks accounting training course called Paper to PC to be conducted by a certified financial trainer with the City University in New York. The training for Categories A and B participants is due to commence on March 16 and will be conducted twice a week for six weeks. More information on this will be provided later.
The Chamber Board and others met on Tuesday this week and invited Governor Peter Johnstone and his Staff Officer, to participate in the discussions which looked at various business and economic development matters. The Governor, who has much experience in commercial matters, has been a driving force behind the Chamber. He was able to obtain some much-needed financial assistance amounting to about US$15,500 from the British Government to enable the body to get off the ground.
“We have persuaded the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London to make a donation from their Economic Diversification Fund for the British Overseas Territories to the Anguilla Chamber of Commerce,” the Governor said. “From my office we have had some long discussions with the Chamber about what their plans were for the future. It seemed to us they were definitely going to assist with the economic diversification of Anguilla, and in particular, support the small and medium-size enterprises. This included an education programme and upgrading of skills of the people on the island.
“This seemed to be something that they needed support for and they were at a stage where they were not able to raise the funds to get started. So we thought we would persuade the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to assist. The Chamber very kindly invited me and my Staff Officer Jackie Barlow to sit in for a few minutes on their meeting today to learn about their plans for the future. I am very pleased to hear the way they are tackling things and I wish them all the best for the future.”
Chamber Executive Director, Calvin Bartlett, said he was pleased that the Governor had seen what the Chamber had done with the major portion of the funds. “They were mostly invested in the infrastructure at the business centre including the furniture and the computers which gave us the opportunity to start the first courses on March 16,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Bartlett pointed out that there was an ongoing survey and the Chamber would be grateful if the business community would respond to the information being requested. “It is now their time to tell us what we really can do for them,” he added.
President of the Chamber, John Benjamin, remarked: “I feel very strongly that the Chamber of Commerce has an important role to play in the economic development of Anguilla. Governor Johnstone has been a friend of the Chamber and has worked with Chambers prior to coming to Anguilla. As was said earlier in the meeting, it is unfortunate that he is going at this crucial time when we need somebody like him to see us through in the next couple of stages…We thank him for his assistance. The Chamber has a vital role to play especially in the new thrust, development and diversification of our economy. We cannot continue to put all of our eggs in one basket.
“With Mr. Bartlett as Executive Director, we made a very good choice. He has turned out to be far beyond our expectations and I would like to thank him for his dedicated work. He has brought on so many persons to the Chamber of Commerce and diversified the Board of Directors so that we represent the entire community…”
Mr. Bartlett recently returned from a working visit in Holland where he represented Anguilla at a big international tourism fair.