On Monday, June 13, Governor and Mrs. Alan Huckle took on the double task of hosting a mass reception and a flag ceremony on the grounds of Government House, the Queen Birthday Parade at the Ronald Webster Park having been put aside this year. The parade usually follows close on the heels of Anguilla Day when Anguillians celebrate the island’s May 30, 1967 Revolution.

The Flag Ceremony at Government House

Addressing the crowd from all walks of life, the Governor said that in his view it was right that Anguilla should celebrate its history and pride as a people with their own parade on Anguilla Day. He was of the view that the reception and ceremony at Government House allowed for the celebration of the island’s link with the UK in more relaxed and informal surroundings while paying due honour to the Queen as Sovereign and Head of State.

Governor Huckle delivering address

The Governor, who has been in Anguilla for just over a year, recalled that he had promised to use his experience of the bureaucracy in London to do as much as he could for Anguilla. He said he had sought particularly to support the law enforcement agencies under his special constitutional responsibilities.

Scene at the ceremony on the grounds of Goverment House

Mr. Huckle stated that during the last financial year (April 2004 to March 2005), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office had provided some 205, 275 pounds sterling (the equivalent of EC$1,026 million) to Anguilla under its Good Government Fund. This covered such expenses as the task force and forensic support in the investigation of Jamida Webster’s murder; the re-commissioning of the police boats, Dolphin and Lapwing; the secondment of Detective Inspector Bernard Watson; security improvements at the prison, including the completion of an additional wing; the computerization of the Immigration Service at Wallblake Airport (to be extended to Blowing Point and Sandy Ground later this year); equipment for Customs, the Courts and the Disaster Management Office; and the secondment of Horace Archie as Chief Fire Officer to make provision for a properly trained domestic fire service. As part of the arrangement, a new purpose-built fire engine will arrive in Anguilla this year.

Scene at the ceremony on the grounds of Goverment House

He noted that other money provided included just under 90,139 pounds (or EC$1 million) from the FCO’s Overseas Territories Economic Diversification budget. This was in support of eleven small business ventures among them being the Chamber of Commerce; Simply Budgeting; Anguilla Printers; Event Planning Services; J&B Gas; Transient Business Services; JB Event Production & rentals; National Farmers’ Association; Organic Valley; and Chaz Computing.

Scene at the ceremony on the grounds of Goverment House

In addition, Anguilla is benefiting from various FCO/DFID-funded environmental conservation projects. These include a three-year coastal resource management project, all amounting to about 244,000 pounds or some EC$1.22 million.

Scene at the ceremony on the grounds of Goverment House

The Governor reported that the next financial year (2005 - 06) would see a sizeable increase in aid under the Good Government Fund amounting to 441,000 pounds sterling or some EC.2.2 million.

One of the main sections of the crowd

Governor Huckle observed that Anguilla was entering a period of rapid economic growth, with the completion of the airport extension and the Temenos/St. Regis and Viceroy projects well in hand plus other major projects including the proposed Junks Hole development on the way.

“This makes it an exciting time to be in Anguilla, but success brings other problems,” the Governor went on. “Changes in society are beginning to undermine the strong moral guidance that Church and family provide. We are seeing the incipient signs of a rise in crime, and delinquent activity, which we must work to turn around without exaggerating the scale of the problem.

“The Government has taken the right decision to focus over the next five years on social issues to support our youth and provide greater opportunities for personal improvement. The police too will be changing their focus towards community policing (and close targeting of criminal elements). But Government resources are small. So this must be a joint venture with business, including the tourism sector on which Anguilla’s economy so heavily relies. The days when we could ignore normal sensible security precautions are gone. We must all work to preserve Anguilla’s reputation as a safe tourism destination.”

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