Local News

On Thursday, September 23, His Excellency The Governor, Mr. Alistair Harrison, issued a press release on discussions he had with the Hon. Chief Minister, Mr. Hubert Hughes. A few hours later, Mr. Hughes delivered a public statement, on the steps of the Ministry of Finance building, to a gathering of persons who had been urged to assemble there in protest.

On September 27th, World Tourism Day, and with Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Haydn Hughes in attendance, the Anguilla Tourist Board (ATB) launched its SMILE Anguilla Program on the lawn of the Clayton J Lloyd International Airport. The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Karl Woodley, ATB member - Education Awareness & Human Resource Development.

Last Thursday, September 23rd, the “circus master” (Haydn Hughes) pulled off probably one of his most amazing acts since the “circus” came to town seven months ago. It was reminiscent of the panic that was set off on October 30 1938, in the United States, when the famous American actor and director, Orson Welles, caused a nation-wide panic while promoting his radio program --- an adaptation of the science fiction novel “The War of the Worlds”.

On September 23rd, 2010, Mr. Jeff David, the new General Manager, Viceroy Hotel and Residences, Anguilla, hosted his first Colleague Meeting at Coba, the property’s signature restaurant.

Newly-appointed General Manager at Viceroy Hotel and Residencies, Jeff David, said that the presentation of awards to staff members for outstanding service was of the utmost importance. He made the statement on Friday, September 26, during the Colleague of the Month ceremony.

The long-delayed Education Bill for Anguilla, which was discussed at a public forum and amended several times this year and last year, suffered a further delay on Tuesday this week, when the newly-elected Speaker, Mrs. Barbara Webster-Bourne, objected to its debate and passage. She said that she had been approached by members of the public and private legal professionals to give them time to research the Bill and she was granting them ten days to do so.

Over the years Anguillian youth have benefitted tremendously from Anguilla's staging of the Tranquility Jazz Festival on the island. The Festival has offered these young musicians the opportunity to witness live performances by world class musicians. These youngsters have also attended classes conducted by professionals in performance and music education.

JTR AdvanceD Security Company Ltd held a demonstration exercise on Wednesday afternoon September 29th in the Cauls Pond area, featuring one of their dogs.
The demonstration led by founder and CEO of JTR Advance Security, Mr. Franklyn Rogers was witnessed by Police, Customs and Prison Officers and members of the DrugS and Firearms Task Force.

Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Haydn Hughes, on the morning of September 28th, presented checks of US$5,000.00 to both the Adrian T Hazell Primary School and the Blowing Point Youth Development Center. Mr. Hughes said that the cheques were made possible through the generosity of Cap Juluca’s Chairman and CEO, Mr. Adam Aron.

I studied the calypso for many years, but my interest was never the rhythm and dance. It was the stories and the rhyme. I was interested in what the songs say. Actually, I still hold fond memories of listening to Ron De Lugo’s 15 minutes evening calypso show from St. Croix, when I was a boy on Nevis.

Another function of the Department of Probation is to offer counselling services to its clients and families. This is done by the Correctional Services Counsellor within the Department.

The Anguillian delegation to the Commonwealth Games in Dehli, India, left here on Tuesday afternoon this week, having been assured that the Games Village, where the island’s team will be housed, is in a state of preparedness.
Unfortunately, Shara Proctor, Anguilla’s top international long jumper, has pulled out of the Commonwealth Games, due to a back injury she sustained during preparatory training in Florida.

If previous UK Governments once viewed Britain’s far-flung island possessions as mere vestiges of the British Empire, the new thinking is that they are now of great value and pride to England. That’s the way that the newly-appointed Minister for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham, and his Prime Minister, David Cameron, are viewing the matter.

For the first time, in many years, Anguillians have had the rare opportunity to meet face to face with a United Kingdom Minister responsible for the island. That meeting was held in the House of Assembly on Wednesday this week, when many persons turned up to hear from Mr. Henry Bellingham MP, the Minister for the Overseas Territories, who was on a flying visit to the Turks and Caicos Islands and Anguilla.

Just before his departure from Anguilla, at the Clayton Lloyd International Airport, on his way to New York, the Minister for the Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham, sounded a note of caution to the territories functioning as offshore financial centres.
He explained that none of the French territories had thriving offshore financial centres and that “France is very jealous of what is going on in places like Anguilla, the Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands.”

Police
Burglaries and thefts down this month

For the period September 15th – 22nd, two burglaries were reported in Blowing Point and Sandy Ground. The items stolen included cash and a bottle of rum. There were also five thefts reported in Island Harbour, Long Path, George Hill and West End, where the items stolen included DVDs, MP$ player, a Blackberry cell phone, high tension wire, copper wire and three hundred ft of cable TV wire.

After some speculation, the recently-elected Government of Anguilla and Starwood Capital have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the further development of the hotel and residences and other related matters.

In Anguilla this week, was Michelle Haynes, Director of Communications with CAPE AIR which is to commence a new airline service to the island twice per day from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on December 22.

Anguilla’s Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, is to take responsibility for the Ministry of Health, which has been a substantial part of the work of Minister Edison Baird, the Elected Member for Road North.
Mr. Hughes made the announcement on Wednesday at a public meeting held in the Anguilla House of Assembly Chambers, while delivering an address to the Minister for the Overseas Territories, Mr. Henry Bellingham MP, and the members of the public in attendance.

Under the theme, ‘A global effort with local importance towards managing trade, protecting wildlife and preventing crime’, the Department of Environment, launched its CITES training workshop on Tuesday September 21st at the Teachers Resource Centre.