The Anguilla Government and the citizenry are pinning their hopes on a planned major tourism development on Scrub Island, with local participation, for which a Memorandum of Understanding was signed a week ago.
Chief Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Hubert Hughes, said he was happy about the proposed project on behalf of the Government and the Anguillian families who own Scrub Island, an eastern offshore islet off the mainland. The private landowners are the families of the Hodges, Huntes, Adams and Dr. Lincoln Lewis.
The development team for the PUERTO SAGRADO proposed project (otherwise known as the Scrub Island Hotel, Marina and Golf Course project) is led by Brent Woodson of Florida.
“I consider this as one of the most important days in the history of Anguilla,” Mr. Hughes
said at the signing ceremony. “Ever since I came in Government, many years ago, I was always concerned that we were not having a meaningful project on the eastern end of the island. At the time, I wanted to make sure that there was a proper project, including a golf course, on the Junks Hole Estate. Unfortunately, that was not to be and later on, I heard that it was going to happen… but was discontinued. I felt very sad.”
Mr. Hughes stated that the agreement on the Scrub Island project did not come easily as there were a lot of objections, including from within the administration generally, during the negotiations. He said at least two of the family members, who attended one of the meetings, were aware of the difficulties he encountered. “This project will not only do a lot for the eastern end of the island – it will do a lot for Anguilla and, by extension, will also do a lot for St. Martin/St. Maarten. This is because, in many instances, they promote their tourism product on certain of our offshore keys which add some diversity to the interest of tourists coming to these islands.”
He was of the view that the uniqueness of Scrub Island offered an opportunity for diversification of Anguilla’s tourism product. “It will have a marina component; a golf course and condominium tourism residential aspects to it. It will do Anguilla proud to have this project,” Mr. Hughes observed. He expressed thanks toBrent Woodson, the proposed developer, who visitedAnguilla on many occasions and showed a very keen in developing Scrub Island.
Mr. Hughes said that the spin-offs from the project would include infrastructural development, including an upgraded and expanded pier, at Island Harbour. He noted that the developer had also seen the need for the expansion of the airport.
Mr. Woodson said the concept of the project started about four and a half years ago, and he
was pleased to be working with the families, the Government and other persons whom he thanked for their support.He explained that the project would comprise two boutique resorts, an inland marina, a world-class golf course, 150 residential exclusive units and 50 boutique shops. “We estimate that this will create probably just over 1,000 new jobs for locals and the people in the region,” he added.
Jerome Roberts, Special Adviser to the Chief Minister, said the project had been “tossed about for sometime” under the previous Anguilla Government as well. He was happy that the developer and the families, part owners of Scrub Island, had the confidence of the current administration to move forward with the project which had been a very uphill battle. He praised the members of the Tourism Investment Committee for their hard work.
Minister of Home Affairs and Environment, Walcott Richardson, and Parliament Secretary, Tourism, Haydn Hughes, joined in expressing their support for the project and looked forward to its implementation. Mr. Hughes called on the people of the island to remain patient as the project moved through its several application processes. Other speakers included Sam Webster, Special Assistant in the Ministry of Infrastructure, who saw the development as a big project for Island Harbour in particular.
Timothy Hodge, who spoke on behalf of his family, recalled that there were many proposals to develop Scrub Island over the years and said that the family had a lot of confidence in Mr. Woodson to undertake the project. He was also grateful to the Chief Minister and other officials for their ready support. He said the families, which have a 50% interest in the company, were delighted to have pursued the project on behalf of Anguilla on a whole. Kennedy Hodge, another family member, was also grateful to the Government, the Tourism
Investment Committee and Mr. Woodson, and was proud to see the signing of the MOU for what would be a high- quality tourism project for Anguilla.
(Source http://www.anguillian.com/article/articleview/10315/1/135/)
