Anguilla's Chief Minister Hubert Hughes and his Cabinet colleagues met for nearly two hours on Monday, May 31, with a six-member delegation from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) on the French-speaking Caribbean island of Gaudeloupe. The meeting, which was held at the Ministry of Home Affairs, centred on forging closer bilateral links between Anguilla and Gaudeloupe.

Chief Minister Hughes outlined to the senior members of the Guadeloupe Chamber of Commerce, headed by president Madame Colette Koury, several areas of possible collaboration, in particular the development of an international airport at Bremegin.

The visiting delegation presented several documents related to the airport operations in Guadeloupe. The government leader said strong ties have always existed between Anguilla and French St Martin and St Barths without the formalities. Hughes told the Chamber of Commerce and Industry personnel that between 1995 and 2000 plans were developed for the Chamber in Pointe-a-Pitre to design, construction and operate an airport in Anguilla, but the idea was scrapped when he lost the general election in 2000.

Hughes said that land was allocated for the airport at Bremegin and that a private company had also expressed an interest in additional land to invest in a hotel development project. He said there were also plans to take electricity and water from St Martin.
The Chief Minister told the French officials that the airport at Wallblake was not suitable and government would not be investing anymore money in it.

"Wallblake is too limited for an airport. The land is unstable and it is right in the middle of a residential area," Hughes said, adding that he wants to work in co-operation and harmony with the French.

The government leader also spoke about a master plan for the Valley area but indicated that the only funds available are the Social Security funds. Hughes said his new administration was also interested in the development of a modern seaport and pointed out that a French national had expressed an interest in building a marina on Anguilla.

The government promised to supply more documents and brochures on various investment possibilities, including the Corito Port Development and the Blowing Point Port Development, to the French delegation. The Chief Minister said that government was looking at a 20 year development plan catering for an airport, seaport, water, electricity, hotels, renewable energy sources and manufacturing, in Anguilla, for export.

Hughes said the new European Union policy is looking at functional cooperation between the territories and his government wanted to accelerate this process.

The Chief Minister said that during a recent visit to Barbados he told EU officials about his plans to invite senior officials from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Guadeloupe to visit Anguilla to discuss functional co-operation.

Head of the Guadeloupe Chamber of Commerce delegation, Madame Koury, said that the group was ready to pool all its expertise and is mindful of the necessary deadlines. She also explained that the members of the Chamber were happy to visit Anguilla and hold dicussions on functional cooperation between the two islands.

The visiting Guadeloupe officials visited the proposed site for the airport at Bremegin, the stalled golf course development project, the major resorts, Wallblake Airport, the Corito Dump site and the Corito site for the sea port. They also met with Beth Barry at the Anguilla National Trust on recyclables (plastic, tires ) and Rommel Hughes on water distribution.

The other members of the Guadeloupe delegation included Gilles Themine, Treasurer of the CCI and President of the Port of Guadeloupe, Alain Bievre, Director of Guadeloupe Pole Caraibes Airport, Annick Benjamin, Translator, Jacques Chouraki, Director of a private business specializing in water treatment and Claude Alie, Director of the CCI Guadeloupe Presidente office. The group was hosted by French Consul Michel Faligant.

- Contributed by The International News Exchange Network

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