Local News

Air lift to Anguilla is getting a well-needed boast from Cape Air, one of the largest independent regional airlines in the United States. The Company flies over 610 thousand passengers to destinations around the world including New England, New York, the Caribbean, Florida, the Mid Atlantic, the Mid West and Micronesia.

Between 200 and 300 schoolchildren are being coached in football on the grounds of the stadium outside the Ronald Webster Park.

The two-week training camp is being sponsored by the Anguilla Football Association and Caribbean Lotto.

Young people from various parts of the Caribbean and Anguilla, on Wednesday this week, climaxed the 7th Regional Youth Camp hosted by the local Red Cross with a march in the central and upper areas of The Valley.

Nine crimes were reported by the Anguilla Police during the period July 14-21.

Among them were three burglaries at South Hill, The Valley and Welches. The items stolen included a flat screen television set, one stereo set, foodstuff, drinks, CDs, DVDs, a MP3 player and a sum of money. One attempted burglary was reported in The Valley.

Police in Anguilla are warning residence not to be caught by the scams of persons writing letters to them from overseas notifying them of having won millions of pounds.

The Social Security Board has made financial awarded contributions to five organisations/programs from its Social Development fund. At a press conference held at its office on Monday July 19th, the Deputy Chairman, Mr. Alkins Rogers, Acting Director, Mrs. Maglan Richardson, and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ash Hodge, provided the details of these and other contributions Social Security is making to the development of Anguilla's youth.

Anguilla’s Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, made the assertion that the Department of Finance, for which he also has responsibility, had been taken over by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

Former Chief Minister and retired parliamentarian, Osbourne Fleming, appeared at the United Front Party’s press conference on Tuesday this week, to deny accusations by Chief Minister, Hubert Hughes, regarding the salary and allowance benefits he received. He joined Opposition Leader, Evans Rogers, and his colleague, Othlyn Vanterpool, at the meeting with the press.

At a ceremony at the Chief Ministers’ Office on Tuesday July 20th, the Agriculture Department and the Environmental Department officially launched a joint Soils Amelioration Project. The ceremony that was chaired by the Principal Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Kenneth Hodge. Among those in attendance were the Hon. Minister of Environment, Mr. Walcott Richardson, the Parliamentary Secretary, Hayden Hughes, and the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Evan Gumbs.

It is just about two months and a half since Anguilla’s new Commissioner of Police, Rudolph Proctor, took over the command of the Royal Anguilla Police Force in succession to Keithly Benjamin, now Junior Magistrate.

As part of an ongoing series of meetings with the Government of Anguilla, Anguilla’s Renewable Energy Coordinator, Beth Barry, met with First Nominated Member and Parliamentary Secretary Responsible for Tourism, the Honorable Haydn Hughes, to strategize the development of Anguilla’s Renewable Energy resources. As stated in the Manifesto of the Anguilla United Movement, “The AUM government will aggressively seek out alternative energy sources and reduce the cost of electricity to every single household and business”.

Retired Public Servant, Colonel Harrigan, this week put into circulation his second volume of A Collection of Plays and Skits entitled De Ole Rock.

The Optimist Club of Anguilla remains committed to the youth of Anguilla. The theme for 2010’s youth week was ‘I smile, I dream, I soar’ a reflection of the Caribbean District’s Theme for 2010 to ‘soar and shine.’

I have been off-island since last Wednesday and have tried to keep connected through the various technologies when and where possible. This can be difficult when you are in another time zone --- but checking the various blogs have been useful just to find out the latest “talk”.

Digicel, the Bigger Better Network, has once again displayed its true support for the Anguilla Summer Festival by providing sponsorship for the upcoming carnival events. Digicel and the opening night committee are set to kick off carnival with a perfect cultural blend on July 30th 2010.

Anguilla’s Minister of Infrastructure, Communications and Utilities, the Hon. Evan Gumbs, is delighted that the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport is back to normal, following the repair of the fire truck.

Can the Public Library revive one of the island's most important cultural traditions? Of course it can! 'Jollification Time' is the theme of the 2010 Children's Library Annual Summer Programme (CLASP). The programme, offered by the Anguilla Library Service, consists of a day camp for approximately sixty participants, ages 5-12. For two weeks children and teachers have learned about, and pushed for, the revival of jollification, Anguilla's historical tradition of communal work.

Three members of the Canadian Teaching Federation (CTF) are assisting the Anguilla Teachers’ Union (ATU) in conducting a series of workshops for teachers at primary and secondary levels over a two-week period which began on Monday, July 12.

The 2010 Caribbean Commercial Bank-sponsored Female Football League has ended with a prize-giving ceremony at the Rodney McArthur Rey Auditorium.

The participating football clubs were the Lil’ Soldiers, Shining Stars, Gazelles, Super Stars and De Youngsters.

A crowded Bethel Methodist Church at South Hill, with persons in attendance from Anguilla and various regional islands, paid special tribute to Rev. Dr. Serchal Wilfred Hodge, and Mrs. Jean Hodge, who celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on Wednesday, July 14.