Local News

The Optimist Club of Anguilla had a very successful “Race Against AIDS” which began early on Sunday morning with a dash in the sea at Meads Bay and continued with running and walking competitions from various points.

Members of Viceroy Anguilla’s Executive Committee met with the Government of Anguilla this week to provide a construction update of the 5-star resort and to present the company’s strategy for filling the 640 employment opportunities that will be created once the resort opens.

With Festival D’Noel just one week away, CuisinArt Resort & Spa has joined a number of other businesses in contributing to the event at East End, Anguilla.
The resort’s General Manager, Stephane Zaharia, presented a cheque in the sum of US$1,000 (EC$2,700) to Chairman of the Festival, Jerome Roberts, on Tuesday, November 27.

The PAN Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS (PANCAP) is the regional governing body set up by CARICOM to directly confront this worldwide disease. Last week Wednesday, November 21, a PANCAP delegation met with various members of Government to discuss the way forward in dealing with efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.

Over the past two weeks the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources (DFMR) has been relocating Sea Eggs threatened by the marina development in Shoal Bay West. Diadema antillarum, otherwise known as Long-Spined Sea Urchins (or Sea Eggs locally), are very important for the ecological integrity of coral reef communities, but when a virus spreads through the Caribbean during the 1980’s their populations were very badly damaged.

Over 150 persons drawn mainly from the hospitality sector, and to some extent from other places of employment, are now equipped to perform better in their various jobs. The necessary training was provided through the initiatives of the Anguilla Community College Development Unit.

There has been a spate of burglaries and thefts in various localities of Anguilla over the past week, November 14-21. The Police expressed much concern over these latest incidents, particularly the burglaries, as there was a lull in such serious offences in recent weeks.

American Eagle observed 20 years of flying to Anguilla from the San Juan hub by presenting a gift package to the 20th passenger to have disembarked at Wallblake Airport on Monday this week.

There is mounting concern in the Little Dix community where a resident, William Smith, 70, has been missing from his home since Tuesday, November 13.

Since 1998, the Guidance and Counselling Unit at the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School has been conducting a college fair for fifth and sixth formers interested in pursuing higher education. All parties involved must agree that this year’s fair is the most impressive to date. The newly built auditorium of Campus B was full of tables set up with information for students interested in the university system. Moreover, there were tables for the various financial institutions capable and willing to help with student loans such as NBA, CCB, the Anguilla Development Board and the Government Training Unit.

The National Bank of Anguilla Ltd has announced that it is the proud recipient of the 2007 ECCB Good Corporate Citizen Award in Customer Service. The award was conferred on the Bank by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank during the award ceremony held at the ECCB headquarters in St. Kitts on November 7th, 2007.

Without doubt, an Anguillian Deputy Governor is truly a historical moment and at this point, is an important part of the celebration of 40 years of a continuing revolution. Stanley Reid’s one year tenure as the first Anguillian in this extremely pivotal position has not had any controversy and in fact has been a rather smooth transition. Many people have been quite interested in finding out how he has settled into his new role and The Anguillian was granted a unique opportunity to have a sit down chat with him at his newly renovated office at Government House in Old Ta.

On Friday, November 16, Digicel unveiled its plans for Christmas 2007 at their store in The Valley. Among the key announcements made by Country Manager, Stephenie Brooks, was Digicel’s continuing support of its adopted charities in Anguilla. These include the Miriam Gumbs Senior Citizens’ Home and the company’s commitment to assist local NGOs in their fight against AIDS and to raise overall awareness.

The Optimist Club annual Race Against AIDS is to take place on Sunday November 25 and participants are invited from Anguilla and the neighbouring islands. In addition there are some 16 athletes coming from Sweden with others from Germany and the USA as well as St Maarten, St Barths and Antigua.

This time of the year is always a time for giving and Digicel is pleased to assist the St. Mary’s Pre-School with their annual Thanksgiving luncheon for parents and the general community.

The following is the Acceptance Speech made by Dame, Dr. Bernice Lake, QC, at the Cape Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies, where an Honorary Doctorate Degree was conferred on her.

The new fishing season is upon us and the early catch is impressive. This beauty approached fifty pounds and was purchased by wine merchant extraordinaire, Guilford Gumbs. A second large Wahoo and three Dolphin fish were procured by Dr. Frankie Hughes and Paradise Cove Resort.

It was during the morning that the discovery happened, just after Tim Webster and Trivon Smith had stopped off on Scrub Island to take a break from fishing.

Maglan Richardson, Assistant Deputy Director of the Anguilla Social Security Board, happily handed a cheque in the amount of USD $1,500 to Wilma Vanterpool of the Anguilla Development Board. The money will be used to help conduct a six-week ceramics and pottery workshop for six inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison.

Since the launch of its ‘LIVE Your Dream’ promotion on November 16, Digicel has kept up the excitement built around this promotion at a brisk pace with its customers giving out weekly, even daily prizes, of MP4 Players, micro boom boxes and radio backpacks to persons who scratch the back of their $25 or $40 Top Up card and instantly win. Regularly, you can see a steady flow of persons at the store buying their Top Up cards for their chance to instantly win not only one of these great prizes but to also enter into the Grand Prize Draw.