A Bold And Necessary Initiative

The coming formal introduction of a National Community College for Anguilla is both a bold and necessary initiative by the island’s Government and should have materialised long before now. The demands being placed on our people by the growth of the private and public sectors, for better educated and skilled Anguillians, make it mandatory for our nationals to be well qualified. They must be in a position to fill the increasing number and variety of jobs, many of which stand to be, and are being taken, by non-Anguillians with the requisite qualifications.

It is strategically important that the decision was taken to ensure that training in the hospitality industry is the first element of a wider education programme at the college. Therein lies the main bloodline and breadline of our economy and it is in the tourism sector that Anguillians must attain some of the senior, commanding and influential positions. They must be the main beneficiaries of the industry, but if they are not suitably trained for the jobs at all levels, it will be difficult for them to successfully compete with other persons from outside the island.

What is a good start is that there are a number of Anguillian nationals at home who have the qualifications and teaching skills to deliver the hospitality courses and that some of them have already been assigned to the task. They, in addition to experts in the region, whose services are being used as well, are expected to turn out the kind of employees with the basic knowledge required by many of our up-market tourism facilities. It is pleasing that this week has seen a five-day seminar, one of a series of eight training seminars, in the run up to the establishment of the hospitality division of the National College.

Just last week, a number of Fifth Form students graduated from the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. Many of them will now be seeking employment but, apart from their regular class work, it is believed that they have had very little training, if any, for the job market. This is an opportunity to encourage as many of them as possible to participate in the upcoming seminars and eventually enroll in the college. This suggestion comes in view of the fact that a considerable number of the young people may have their sight on employment in the tourism sector.

The Anguillian wishes to commend all who are involved in the plans for the establishment of the National Community College. It will be a pride of Anguilla to have such an institution of tertiary education and will place our island on the level of other territories which have preceded us in the area of higher learning. In the past Anguilla has had to catch up with the rest of the region in some aspects of development. Today, our island is ahead in some respects. Later on, with our own national college, we will be glad that, as difficult as it might have been, we had taken the bold and necessary step to achieve that goal.