Whether it was in the great ballrooms of the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Long Island, New York, or at the marketplace, Anguillian nationals were seen everywhere at the Anguilla, Nevis and St. Kitts Associations Reunion (ANSAR) during the period June 30 to July 2. They are all a group of role models and doing very well.
Marketplace was where all the nationals crowded to sell and buy craft items, food and drink reminiscent of home life.

Maureen Daniels and daughter (extreme right) with friend

Anguilla had its full share of booths there. One was manned by Dr. Oluwakemi M. Linda Banks who sold her well-known Afrocentric garments and was accompanied from Anguilla by her daughter Olufunmike; Carlson Connor and Laurel Hodge, two Anguillian nationals residing and working in New York, ran the second booth which featured cake and other delicacies. The third booth, with an array of promotional material, and even a sample of sand showcasing the island’s beaches, was operated by the Anguilla Tourist Board based in White Plains, New York.

Dr. Linda Banks and Seymoour Hodge at Tourist Board Booth with Dellie Bussue of White Plains, New York

Dellie Bussue who works with the Tourist Board told Nat Hodge of The Anguillian Newspaper: “We are marketing the island of Anguilla throughout the whole US market; and we are here at ANSAR to promote the island and to let Anguillians, Nevisians and Kittitians know about Anguilla. We are doing very well. Just recently we were on “Good Morning America. We have been on Today’s Show. We have had a growth in visitors including celebrities travelling to Anguilla and the marketing of the island has been tremendous. They seem to love Anguilla and so the word is out there and we are promoting it a little more.”

Maureen Daniels and daughter (extreme right) with friend

Carlson Connor commented: “The Anguilla Tourist Board here is repositioning the island in terms of promotion and it is very successful.”

Children of Anguillian Nationals in New York

Dr. Banks added her comments: “I think it is a very impressive display by the Tourist Board and has attracted a lot of people, some of whom have been to Anguilla already and others who have expressed an interest in visiting. It is really nice having the sand so that the people can actually feel a part of the island in accordance with the marketing slogan Feeling is Believing.”

Mrs. Yolande Richardson

That aside, Mr. Connor spoke about his own sojourn in New York. One of his main objectives of going to the US 38 years ago, was to further his education. He is a self-employed Dental Ceramist, making and fitting dentures and other related work, part of the mechanical aspect of dentistry. He is now President of the Anguilla Progressive Association (APANY) which is working to assist Anguillians at home and abroad. He is also a Real Estate Agent, working for a reputable company in New York. “It is a lot of work, but I am trying my best to do whatever I can in terms of helping my fellow Anguillians here and elsewhere,” he said.

Dr. Yinka Stanford

Mr. Connor said APANY was “growing by leaps and bounds.” He succeeds Seymour Hodge who was President for nine years but who now returned to Anguilla. There are now some 35 members who are working hard on some new plans for the organisation. “With help and leadership, I know we can accomplish those goals. He spoke of his association’s close ties with the Kittitian-American Benevolent Association whose leader is Marcella Byron who requested his involvement and that of Laurel Hodge in ANSAR. Accordingly they, Yolande Richardson, Seymour Hodge and Dr. Yinka G. Stanford were the Anguilla delegates.

He added that they had spearheaded the drive to have Nat Hodge and Dr. Banks awarded at the ANSAR celebration. “Ms Byron asked us for two prominent Anguillians who can be put forward to be honoured. The two names immediately came to mind.”

Mr. Connor has his sights on returning to Anguilla some day. “In the meantime, I am going to continue and finish the work that we are doing to make Anguilla proud and carrying the torch to let everyone know about our island. Even though we are small, we are known,” he added.

Laurel Hodge, whom he spoke about, is a former school teacher in Anguilla. She now works in New York as a Customer Service Representative at a large company. She has been in the US for 25 years so far. She was a member of APANY from its inception ten years ago and is the Corresponding Secretary.

Meanwhile, two other Anguillians spoke about their work in New York. One of them was Yolande Hodge, a former Principal of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School, Curriculum Development Officer and Chief Education Officer. She is now teaching Communication Arts (English) and Social Studies to Grade 7 students in a Middle School in the Bronx for the past four years. She prefers to teach and see students learn and develop than managing an institution which she did in Anguilla. Her students are of a Hispanic background with a lot of language problems which she is coping with.

Her own children are doing well at school. Delano, who is interested in Engineering, has just completed his first year at Lincoln University and Violet is entering Howard University in September. She has an interest in Law.

Mrs. Richardson said that APANY had picked up momentum since her arrival and normally when the diner dance is held as part of the Anguilla Day celebrations, hundreds of Anguillians turn up for the events. It is then that prominent nationals are also honoured. Two honourees this year were John Benjamin and Eustace Guishard.

The other Anguillian mentioned above, is Dr. Yinka Stanford who is an Adjunct Lecturer at the City University of New York. “I work on reading and writing skills development,” she told The Anguillian. “I have also been a career advisor as an adjunct career counsellor and I work in cooperative education as an internship adviser. More recently I have worked with small groups in terms of special instructional strategies for writing and reading skills development.

An active member of APANY, she was one of the workshop facilitators at the ANSAR functions. Her session dealt with work ethics and other inter-disciplinary matters.

Seymour Hodge addressed the ANSAR plenary session on behalf of APANY. He commended the national associations of Anguilla, Nevis and Anguilla for their work. In a separate interview with The Anguillian, he also spoke highly about their efforts and was also appreciative of the Anguilla Tourist Board in New York for its role in promoting Anguilla.

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