Local News

After 23 years, the LIME sponsored Annual Primary School Spelling Bee has lost none of its appeal and overall ability to pull a crowd of enthusiastic supporters. On Thursday 12 May 2011, the hall at the Orealia Kelly Primary school was filled to capacity as two pupils from each of the island’s eight primary schools battled for the right to be named ‘Champion Speller’ while at the same time hoping to win the coveted rotating spelling bee trophy for their school.

Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Hubert Hughes, is of the view that the offshore financial industry can derive significant benefits for the Government and people of Anguilla. He made the point, however, that in order to accomplish this, it was necessary for Government to support the initiatives of the private sector Financial Services Association and work in a harmonious relationship with the body.

Government officials, the developer and other persons, braved an overcast sky and intermittent showers at a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday this week, for the Solaire tourism project at Lockrum. The site is on the south coast of Anguilla, east of Blowing Point, providing a picturesque view of the ocean, St. Martin and part of the Anguilla coastline.

The 2011 Population and Housing Census was launched in Anguilla on Wednesday morning this week, May 11, at a ceremony on the parking lot of the Ronald Webster Park, in the presence of scores of school children. A declaration, launching the event, was made by Chief Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Hubert Hughes. The actual enumeration work began on Thursday, May 12 and will continue until July 15.

The Police in Anguilla reported 12 crimes during the period May 4-11. Among the matters were three burglaries in Sandy Ground and The Valley where the stolen items included flat screen television sets, a water pump and money.

The main thrust of Tuesday’s Press Conference, held by the Anguilla United Front, was a repeated strong call for the repeal of the Interim Stabilisation Levy and the willingness of the Opposition to work with Government on an alternative and less burdensome taxation system.

LIME, Anguilla’s leading full-service telecommunications provider, has started celebrations to mark the many years of sterling service offered to the people of Anguilla. This year will mark 40 years since LIME, formerly Cable & Wireless, entered the Anguilla market on 31 October 1971.

In a report to the Anguilla Financial Services Strategy Planning Conference on May 6 at Paradise Cove Hotel, Lanston Connor, Registrar of Commercial Activities, delivered an address on the functioning of the registry and the promotion of the island's financial products and services.

I take this opportunity to extend greetings and best wishes to all of you ladies, all of you mothers, who are at worship with us this morning for Mothers’ Day 2011 and more generally to all mothers in Anguilla.

The Orealia Kelly Primary School is the fourth primary school in Anguilla where a Junior Optimist Club has been established. The school’s newly-formed Innocents Club comprises about a dozen students from various classes. They were presented with their badges as executive officers and members by Cordane Richardson, Lt. Governor for the Junior Optimist Clubs in Anguilla including the two at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School.

Patrons of the health and fitness services at the Dungeon Gym, found a new feature awaiting them there on Monday evening, May 9. It was a comprehensive lecture in sex education to help them maintain and develop healthy lives, well away from the sexually-transmitted diseases affecting millions of persons around the world.

The Mothers’ Day Service at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, at which Fabian M.Fahie delivered the address (printed elsewhere in this edition of The Anguillian), was followed by an extensive brunch at the Scouts and Guides Ruthwill Auditorium.

Principal of the Orealia Kelly Primary School, Mrs. Jasmine Thomas, took the opportunity of an assembly session on Monday to advise students to stay focused on their education by avoiding all forms of distraction such as some of the things they wear.

Members of the Soroptimist Club last Friday presented a cheque for US$500.00 to Maysel Davis of Blowing Point. The donation was to assist in the purchase of a prosthesis from the St Maarten Medical Centre.

At a three-hour workshop at the Community College on Tuesday this week, officials from the OECS Pharmaceutical Procurement Service and the Ministry of Health in Anguilla expressed concern over counterfeit medicines coming into the region.

A draft Domestic Violence Bill, aimed at adequately protecting women and children in Anguilla, was presented to the people of Anguilla at a public consultation at the Orealia Kelly Primary School Auditorium on Tuesday evening, May 3.

The Stabilisation Levy, which the Anguilla Government has imposed to balance the budget, but which is widely regarded as a burden to the people, is attracting growing criticism and calls for repeal.

The Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla was a colourful scene as various sporting teams and their young cheerleaders converged there on the Labour Day holiday.

Thirteen arrests were reported by the Police in Anguilla for the period April 27-May 4. One of the persons was arrested on suspicion of burglary; another for wounding; two persons for committing a breach of the peace; one person for theft; and eight persons for assaulting a Police Officer while in the execution of his duty.

The University of the West Indies has completed a series of Country Conferences in Anguilla, one of the islands with an Open Campus. Addressing participants at the Conference Room at the National Bank of Anguilla at the opening of the two-day meeting on April 28, Monterrat-based Head, GracelynCassell, said the Caribbean Development Bank financed the series of conferences.