News

Social Security, now observing its 30th Anniversary, on Monday February 7, handed over a quantity of marine safety equipment to the Anguilla Government valued at just under EC$100,000. The aim is to protect the many persons who engage in fishing as a livelihood and, as part of the food chain, supply the island’s population, hotels and restaurants with a wide range of fish.

Tourism officials in Anguilla met with local agents of cruise ships on Wednesday, February 8, to discuss the promotion of the island as a destination for high-end cruise lines and some of the planned activities for the visitors.

There has been little or no delay to commence paying Anguillian suppliers of goods and services to the former owner of the Flag/Temenos golf course project. The payments are being made by Mr. Leandro Rizzuto of CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa, who now owns that property.

The Anguilla Government is pursuing an undertaking it gave to revisit the island’s cruise policy and a number of other policies associated with tourism.

It was confirmed by the Governor’s Office on Tuesday, January 24, that the legal opinion of Mr. Anthony Astaphan, S.C. of Dominica,on reductions from the salaries of public servants, had been received by the Anguilla Government.

Anguilla’s first professional cricketer in England and Australia, Cardigan Connor, has entered the island’s political arena as the Opposition Anguilla United Front’s candidate for District 7 (West End) in the next general election.

The docking facility to be built at the Simpson Bay Lagoon in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, by the Anguilla Government, with the cooperation of the Dutch Government there, has generated much discussion in Anguilla among operators of regular ferries to Marigot, St. Martin, charter boats and special shuttles to Philipsburg.

Owner of CuisinArt Golf Resort and Spa, Leandro Rizzuto, declared that Monday, January 16, was “a very special day for CuisinArt and also for Anguilla inasmuch as we worked out terms and conditions for the development of the 275 acres formerly the Temenos Property.”

It is anticipatedthat the Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2012 will provide additional revenue to the Government of Anguilla in excess of $600,000 this year and over $680,000 in 2013.

Anguilla’s Tourism Development Areas (TDA) as outlined in the recently-completed Tourism Master-plan.
A banner, featuring the map of Anguilla, divided into West End, Central and East End TDAs, has been erected on the main road opposite LIME. Three other banners, which will highlight each TDA in more detail, will be placed strategically around the island in due course.

Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Hubert Hughes, told reporters on Tuesday, this week, that he had signed the provisional warrant, thus enabling a number of Government workers to receive their weekly wages. He had delayed signing the warrant for one week, saying his action was “to bring pressure on the British Government” for not giving timely approval of the 2012 budget.

President of the Anguilla Teachers’ Union, Emma Ferguson, speaking on behalf of over 200 members, says that teachers, charged with the responsibility of educating the island’s children, are hurting badly as a result of the financial situation facing them.

Anguilla’s Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, the Hon. Hubert Hughes, is to receive EC$40, 000 for telephone calls he made while serving in that position twelve years ago.

Anguilla’s Chief Minister and Minister of Finance, Hubert Hughes, told reporters on Tuesday that he would delay signing a Provisional Budget for a week. He claimed that this would jeopardise the Government’s chances of receiving budgetary support from the European Development Fund.

The Anguilla airspace was not only filled with increased passenger traffic due to the busy Christmas holiday period, but also by a number of the incoming flights, particularly by WINAIR, for refueling.

The Executive Council has authorised the Attorney General’s Chambers to seek legal advice from Anthony Astaphan, a Dominica-based Lawyer, on behalf on behalf of the Anguilla Government, with regard to theimplications of discontinuing the deferred payments to public servants and other Government officials.

Gleaming private Executive Jets whizzed in and out of Anguilla at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport, with a considerable degree of frequency over the holiday season, bringing in a number of high-profile visitors to the island.

Anguilla’s leading religious singing group, the St. Augustine’s Chorale, returned to the stage after a short break to present a special Yuletideprogrammemarking the last week of 2011 and the first week of 2012.

Unlike at least three other occasions within some 18 months, during the current tenure of the AUM Government, when three budgets were not approved, the 2012 budget has won the approval of the British Government.

After operating for some time, H.O.P.E. Centre Ltd, at Nauson House, in the Sandy Hill/East End area, was officially opened on Monday afternoon, December 19. Its aim, as the founder, Mrs. Cora Richardson-Hodge, said, is: to Helping Our People Excel (HOPE).